Let it Go!
by nattyzeenha
Summary: FROZEN inspired Sess/Kag/Inu. Her fingers, now free of the armor's handpiece, emitted a frosting sparkle when she harshly pulled the hand away from the trunk as if burnt; but it was the tree that had began freezing; so had the ground she'd crawled in, resulting in a path of crystal clear ice leading to the frozen trunk of the dying old oak. (...) (Full summary INSIDE)
1. PreviewSummary

Hello fellow readers! I had an idea for this story, which would be be an adventure/romance SessKag fanfic. As the fic progresses, there will be a merging of Inuyasha with Frozen, Kagome being inspired by Elsa, somewhat. Following comes a looooooong summary of the story.

_**Tell me if you like the idea and if I should really write it. If there is no interest at all, I will just write it for myself and not bother posting here. If people seem to like the general idea, though, I'll try and write faster and post here at least every two days. Bye!**_

* * *

Let it Go summary/preview:

**A FROZEN inspired fanfic.** Kagome is the elder daughter of the deceased Southern rulers, one amongst five orphaned siblings, being the immediate heiress to the South; a princess burdened by the hardships of maintaining her family and her subjects alive through a war against the greedy minor lords of her own lands. In a final act of desperation, Kagome offers herself in an alliance with the strong youkai Lord of the West, giving her hand in marriage and her soul in mating in exchange for continuing help from the great taiyoukai. The forward-thinking lord Touga finds in said offer the opportunity to pacify his human subjects through the embodiment of humanity in the royal line, as many other youkai rulers had decided to do in the last century. His son, Sesshoumaru, however, holds still a deep prejudice against the so thought weaker race, and in an everlasting thirst for power, denies to take part in such agreement, without sparing a glance at the hime. Desperation-driven and stro ng willed, Kagome catches the attention of Touga's younger illegitimate son, Inuyasha, the hanyou whose expectations in marriage or mating were never good to begin with, and who finds in the princess a solace of acceptation and friendship, something so far unknown to the unwanted half breed. Inuyasha manages to convince his father to accept the deal, giving her hand to himself instead of Sesshoumaru, if his half-brother so strongly objected to the union of youkai and human. A long courtship begins, far away from the Western lands, as Inuyasha becomes a part of the Southern court as and their future King. Kagome and Inuyasha bond deeply, and he soon finds that there is much more to his hime than anyone would give her credit for, including a dark secret that haunts her living days and draws him even closer to her.

Three years pass and the mating is finally to take place, part of it being hold in the long forgotten West Kingdom. Sesshoumaru finds himself bound by honor to attend, even if his wishes are to flee from the aggravation that is his half brother and whoever he is to mate. Inuyasha has grown into a fine specimen beside his mate-to-be, amassing power from her mysterious source of it.

In the first day of the mating celebrations, for all that, Sesshoumaru is apprised of Kagome. A major shift happens in his youki in recognition of the soul mate to his power, and he is left bewildered by the human wench. Prejudice crumbles before instinct and the taiyoukai mind shifts perspectives as his beast urges him to claim the mysterious woman. As soon as the prince figures out she is his half-brother intended, a challenge is ensued. He, however, had lost the right to claim the female as his pack status granted him when he, years before, denied her.

Instinct driven, he collapses under pressure of the oncoming mating and attacks his half-brother. What no one expected, though, was the power the little miko would unleash when one of his attacks threatens to advance on her.

Horrified of the exposure, Kagome – who then was seen for what she was, an ice nymph out of control – flees the West and disappears, leaving behind the hanyou and the taiyoukai, as well as frozen kingdom, two feet under snow, slowly dying out.

As the snow spreads across the country, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru catch themselves traveling together in a journey in search of power, love, security and salvation, all embodied in the woman both intend on mating.


	2. Chapter 1

**I do not owe Inuyasha or any of its characters. **

**I apologize for any mistakes. English is not my native language, and I do not have a beta.**

* * *

The crown prince of the West was fuming. He had had the most aggravating day thus far, and had hoped a visit to the ever so fervant concubines wing could help to wind out some - for nothing could master all of it - of his frustration. He had been about to enter the main chambers of the wing when a pulsating youki brushed against his skin, calling forth his own in a true alpha summon. Trust his sire to reach out for him in the most unnacceptable times. Had it been any other day, he would've immediately answered the call; but it was no ordinary day indeed. That morning Sesshoumaru had, for the twelvth time in twenty years, lost to his sire in the challenge proposed by himself over the alpha position. His youki was stronger, so was his technique, so it still made no sense that his battles with the current Lord of the West always ended up with his hair brooming the floor. The mere memory caused him to cringe internally, though his façade remained cold and stoic, as usual.

The tension over his body increased as his father's summons became more instrusive. Appearently, Touga was unhappy with his son's unwilingness to comply, and had spread his oppressive aura to a point where it repressed all of the other youkai's, except for his son's. Sesshoumaru's aura, though dark and cold, was too strong to be ebbed by any being, however strong said creature might be.

Giving in at last, Sesshoumaru turned his straight back to the room, extending his own youki in search of his father's. HE soon surmised he who had been calling for him was to be found in the main study of the palace, and that he was not alone. Both his general and his wife were with him, and the distress emanating from the room was almost thick enough to be cut through with a sword. He would've gladly done so - if only to kill the pathetic human hime his father dared to claim in the proccess - but the repercussions would surpass the small victory.

Closing the door behind him with the grace of a prince, Sesshoumaru turned to the occupants of the room with an ever so slightly raised brow. Silent, he remained close to the entrance, knowing no formalities were necessary and his sire would tell what the summon was about without no need of actually questioning him. It was part of what made father and son's relationship somewhat harmonic: Touga knew Sesshoumaru would never concede into the self-condoned ungracefulness of beggining a conversation when it wasn't absolutely necessary, but also knew he was interested nonetheless.

"I have summoned you here, Sesshoumaru, because a matter of great importance has arisen to my attention." Touga began, from across his desk, holding hands with the woman standing beside him, tall and proud in all regal glory. His general was silent as death itself, his scent marginally stirred with fear, which by itself caught Sesshoumaru's interest. For the fierceful Western General to fear what he imagined was his reaction to whatever was to be said, the news had to be at least intriguing.

With a barely perceptible nod, Sesshoumaru urged his father to speak further. Touga reached a parchment over the oak table, unceremoniously throwing it at his older son, who promptly cought the item mid-air.

"This is a letter from the East. It has arrived two days ago, but only now it has come to my attention, since the general took upon himself to ignore the plea in its words and declare the letter unworthy of my time." Touga's voice was firm and cold, promising a punishment to the daring youkai in front of him in due time.

"The East is currently under the governing of humans. What could they possibly plea to our youkai kingdom that you would be tempted to concede?" the disgust in Sesshoumaru's voice was not hidden - he didn't bother to. He despised humans, always had and always would, and knowing his father would even consider aiding such a weak race made his body pump with rage.

"You should know by now, son, that humans are not to be underestimated. Even within our lands their presence has increased substantially, so much that ignoring them is no longer a choice." Touga patiently answered, knowing his son well enough.

"Estate your business at once, father. I grow tired of this charade." Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed a tenth tighter, his instincts predicting a disagreeable turn of events.

Breathing deeply - for he too predicted unfavorable outcomes to the conversation - Touga started. "The Eastern lord and lady died roughly a year ago - a terrible sailing accident if I'm correct - and left behind havoc. With no male heir of governing age, the lands have turned into chaos, a civil war erupting as minor lords from across the East self-proclaimed as rightful successors. "

"Let the humans slay each other, and, in the convenient time, claim the east."

"Sesshoumaru, the humans cannot be overcome. Not for long. It is past the time you put your preconceived assumptions aside to welcome the truth, however bitter it might be: there are hundreds of humans for each demon, and most of these are of lower class, some barely surpassing the power of an untrained human. I have seen enough bloodshed for a lifetime, and know that accepting humanity as an ally and not a foe can only bring advantages to our side, as it has been proved by the other lords. You know this is long overdue... We are the last cardinal rulers to institute ningen counsel within the high ranks of government. "

" What exactly are you proposing we do, if so?"

" Well... You see, my son... The east is not completely abandoned. They have a princess, the heiress, who against all tradition holds the leads of the lands thus far. She is just a child, though, and without the support of the elders or the army, a hard ruling has been presented to her."

"A female ruling the East? A human, at that?"

"A strong woman, she must be. More powerful men have fallen before less. There is just so much one can do, however, and being unmarried, she cannot keep her title for long enough to one of her siblings reach adulthood. The armies hesitate to follow a female leader, too, and each day longer at war, she faces higher risks of being overthrown. "

"Am I correct to assume she asks for our army and expertise?"

"Indeed, son. She hopes that youkai allies will be enough to cower away most of the enemies, and destroy the remaining."

"You have said humans are a force to be reckoned, so why should we Dwell into their business when there is nothing in for the West?"

"Oh, but there is, Sesshou" Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth at the sarcastic use of his despised childhood nickname. "The alliance is proposed in the form of a marriage. When recovered, their forces would be just as ours as ours would be theirs. And... You, my son, would be their lord."

"No." the single word escaped SESShoumaru's lips before he could fully comprehend what was being presented. When he did, his determination increased tenfold and he felt the need to reiterate, this time with a forceful tone. "No."

Was his sire senile? He could find no other explanation to the blasphemy being said, and once again his pride was pierced, knowing that even clearly insane, his father had won his challenge earlier the same day.

"Listen carefully, son, this is our chance to... "

"No."

Silence became the room, Touga and Sesshoumaru staring each other in a contest of wills. One willing to march toward the future, the other willing to bury his claws in the past.

"You refuse to even consider the alliance? How spoiled can you be if you would turn our future down for a caprice?"

"Our future lays not with the humans, and neither will this Sesshoumaru!"

"Isn't power what you strive for, Sesshoumaru? You have no chances of ruling the West as long as I stand strong - and I have no intentions of falling any time soon. This might as well be your only chance to be a cardinal lord."

"Do not think so highly of yourself, father, or so lowly of this Sesshoumaru. I need not to adventure so beneath myself to achieve the ultimate power. The West is rightfully mine, and this Sesshoumaru will conquer it. " Eyes pink with bleeding rage, the younger taiyoukai rushed out of the room in a most unusual show of passion, growling to the skies as he took them in a flight away from the source of his impeding headache.

And closer to an opportunity he would regret missing for the rest of his life.


	3. Chapter 2

**Please read to understand a minor change in the story set.**

Killercandycane send me an anonymous review (which was not really anonymous, so… hahaha) that begs a response. _She questioned me what the EAST had to do with anything, because I had first stated that Kagome was from the SOUTH, and later on (on the proper Chapter One) the West was talking about EAST. Well, this is what happened: when I first wrote the summary, I thought of Kagome as the Southern princess. Subsequently, I decided to change it to the Eastern princess because I still wanted Kouga to be introduced later on as the wolf prince of the South. If the South was indeed ruled by humans, that would be… well… impossible. So I had to redo that, and forgot to change the summary! THANKS for calling it to my attention! :) I love attentive readers._

* * *

_**This chapter is just to explain a little better - though not that better, because it is through the eyes of a child - what is going on in the EAST. In the next chapter Kagome will already be travelling to the West**_

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Kagome laid in the grass for longer than could be committed to memory, on her elbows, allowing the breeze to gently caress her stressed features - how long had they been frozen into a perpetual frown? - into expressionless. It felt good, after so long of either showing bad emotions or spending awful amounts of energy to suppress them into hardness, to finally let her facial muscles relax into nothingness.

These smalls getaways could and would not hold her sanity for longer, though, and neither would them guarantee stability for her people. She had to get moving, but as always, the first step had to be the hardest - the longest. Ignorant lay-observers might even think her lazy; why, after all, had she not taken action yet? Sour was the truth, though, and bitter were the ones who held it: there was no course of action to be taken that led to any path worth going. Waiting had been, thus far, the best option.

Not anymore.

In a fortnight, the hime would celebrate her eighteenth birthday. Against odd or foe, she would be eligible for the throne which was, by right, already hers. It was a confusing thread of politics, for she could not become lady of her Lands whilst unmarried, but had anyway been occupying said role all this time. What could be, what was done and what would be were things to be tread lightly in the kingdom. All could crumble with a whisper, and Kagome was not willing to let anyone talk over her fragile castle.

"Gome!" a yawp ripped through the garden, arousing Kagome from her reverie. Upturning her head, Kagome's gaze fell upon a pair of chubby bare feet, whose toes wiggled in anticipation. Following the limbs attached to said feet, the hime looked up the tiny body of her three year old sister, who closely resembled a fairy in her rosy skin, rounded cheeks, and altogether glowing semblance.

"Yes, Tsuki?" voice softened a fourth, Kagome answered patting the grass aside her, in what seemed both an invitation and a demand.

"Kukura said you are_ neaving_ again. Tsuki wants to come _wiv_!" filling her little chest to its max, Tsukina rest each balled fist in a side of the small hips, trying her best - and failing miserably, to her big sister's amusement - to look like a force to be reckoned with.

Biting her bottom lip to control the chuckle threatening to burst out, Kagome gently rose to her knees, reaching her sibling's height and a handful. Her eyes, known across the land for their unusual deep blue color, seemed to hold the world and its secrets wrapped in tenderness, all for the smallest of creatures before her.

"I wish I could take you with me, Tsuki. You sure would make the difference, but I need you here to protect our family. If we are both gone… How will they fare?" the sentence disappeared as a whisper, the secret they shared and that would be theirs, and theirs alone. Tsukina's eyes immediately bulged as she bit the bait, straightening up her back and bobbing her head back and forth several times as if one agreement wasn't enough.

"But why do you have to go…? You _dust_ came back…" snaking her arms around Kagome's slender neck, the smaller hime suspended herself from the ground for a few seconds, sniffing with big puffy eyes before her sister's earings caught her attention and she dropped her little scene, admiring the cascade of stars falling from the crystal under the older woman's ear.

"I have to. I wouldn't leave you again if not strictly necessary… But… I do believe this is the last time I will need to leave in search for help. I think… I have finally come up with a solution for our problems, Tsuki. And soon… Soon you will know what I knew. You will know true happiness." by then, Kagome realized her sister was already distracted with something else. She was, however, the best listener in the moment. Supporting her in her lap as she sat again, she began to talk once more, brushing the little girl's full chocolate hair.

"I'm going to bring us an army, Tsuki. An army far greater than ours, an army whose strength has echoed in history. And though a lot has to be sacrificed… Through them, we will find redemption."

Tsukina's interest peaked at this information, and her attention returned to Kagome, with bright, adoring eyes.

"An army bigger than ours? Bigger than Lord Baka's?"

"It's Lord Kyoruu, Tsuki. And yes… Bigger than his. And any other Lord that has threatened us so far. The war will stop, Tsu… The deaths, the… pain, everything. It will all stop with just the mention of this new army. We won't have to fight anymore…" Kagome whispered - half for the words were still somewhat forbidden, and half because… they were still not true. Expectations, possibilities… But she could only hope that far.

"When is this new army coming? Can we give them a party?" At that point, Tsukina was overly excited at the prospect of having a life other than the one she had had that far. Kagome often told her and her siblings of a different world, a warless world, when the castle walls were open and everyone could play outside, as well as the outside people could come in and do their business. Harmony. She often told of harmony. A tale long forgotten, at least… After the death of their parents.

Tsukina had never understood the details, nor cared to, to be fair. All she knew was that, the day their parents died, mean people from all over their lands came to the castle - some with weapons, some with long boring papers - to try and claim the place that was rightfully (or so she was told) her sister's. Some said she was too young, some said she was a woman - she never understood this one, of couse she was a woman, wasn't that obvious? Why were they even discussing this one? - some even said she was a bastard, though the meaning of bastard thankfully escaped little Tsuki's understanding. A few departed with little more than rude complaints; a bulk refused to leave and were forcefully removed by the army - some even banned forever from the East; and a handful fought back. The Eastern army, once so faithful to its lord, refused to obey the allegedly illegitimate current lady, her big sister, Kagome. Without a proper army, Kagome had to lock the castle in its ancient magic while the lords battled each other for the supposed right for the throne. At last, a winner arose. Lord Kyoruu, from the hills, or.. the beach… or… SHe didn't know. And again. She didn't care. A butterfly passed by, and her thoughts turned to a lighter instance as her small chunky hands tried to reach out for it while from the confinement of her sister's lap.

Kagome rest her eyes on her vivacious youngster. The Lady feared for what fate would lay ahead for the smallest of the siblings should they not settle into an agreement with the West. The Casttle would hold no longer than a fortnight, maybe not even that… Her people, only the kami could know what had come to pass with them in the past month that they had had to lock themselves within the court. Kagome tried to bring how many loyal subjects she could - entire villages had been evacuated - but those who she could not reach, or those who had chosen Lord Kyoruu's side stayed behind. She could no longer answer for them, and dreaded their dismay.

"From now on, everything changes… For better or for worse…" her whisper was carried upwind, but no one heard it. The child in her lap could be no more oblivious, and the servants passing by had their heads on their duties. In her worries, as in her sadness, she was all alone.

So be it. Alone she would venture. And alone she would bring back to her lands the only chance of saving it. Even at the cost of her own happiness, body and soul.


	4. Chapter 3

Another shorter chapter for today. I decided I'll post smaller chapters more often. For instance, I'll post chapter 4 later today :) It will be, obviously, Inuyasha and Kagome's first meeting. Thanks for everyone who favorited, followed and reviewed. :)

For the lovely anonymous reader who identified herself as "kagome higurashi", there will be no singing in the story, hihi. There will be lines from the songs used as sentences in the story, though. The summary pretty much summs up how similar the story is gonna be to the movie - it's not gonna be the same. The idea is there, but it's a whoole lot different. Her powers will show up when they show up! Be patient! hihi. _And to be completely honest, I have started this fic to be a SessKag one, but as I planned on the stuff that is about to happen, I just... Kind of felt in love with Inu. I will let this decision (of who ends up with who) be taken with the help of you guys as the story is developed, because I think that, despite all the SessKag love out there, you too will see Inuyasha differently after sometime._

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Sunset spread on the horizon with its bright colors and comforting warmth. These nights of autumn were cold, and the last minutes of light were precious - as was its heat. Kagome urged her horse on as she had been doing all day long, but within, her heart fluttered with emotion that only such marvelous view could ignite. Pink, orange, yellow, red, purple, blue… She recited, knowing by heart the colors she would find in the sky that blessed the happiest memories of her childhood. Now, the sky was alive, and was itself a witness to her journey, as restless as it had been, to the Western Lands.

Her first week had been uneventful; escaping her own lands proved harder than the countless times she had done so in the previous years, but she managed to do it unscathed. Perhaps, with her coming of age approaching, the enemies had been on edge, ready for anything. Or maybe they knew exactly what she was up to. Either way worried her to the bones. The road that usually led to the outskirts of the Eastern lands had been packed with warriors. So packed, in fact, that no one noticed her horrified presence before she realized the death trap she had inadvertently walked into and had the time to retreat. The road would've led her out of her territories within two days on horseback. Avoiding it, the journey consumed a whole week.

But at last the passage had been made into Western Lands. Half of Kagome expected to find scouts waiting at the border, or at the very least regular soldiers patrolling the lands, but the area - and two days of walking worth of land - was desert. The notion of the immensity of the western part of the country sank in slowly as her trek advanced toward the Western part of the West.

She was then three days in the West, admiring the sunset as it disappeared on her, getting the lamps ready while humming the tune that had been her only companion besides her loyal stallion. Her hair was dump from her recent bathing expedition, and she felt renewed and refreshed for the first time in a long time, even beneath all the layers of her heavy armor.

She had to, of course, come massively armored, considering she had been deprived of her normal entourage for such occasions - not only because her mission demanded stealthiness, but because her army would hardly help her anyway . Being a Lady made her not only a target, but too valuable an asset to be left to chance, when chance was all it took for unremarkable things to become a threat; if things were as they should, she should never need raise a sword. Twisted was fate, however, and it was up to Kagome to fend for herself by whatever means; at the moment, she spared her father's faithful sword and her trusted longbow, her picked weapons given the choice. Given the choice. If she could… She would just…

There it was. One of those moments, one of those brief moments, in which whispers of insanity froze her mind into inaction and called to her, beckoned her to think of things that should not be thought over.

Thinking of it only made it worse. The mantra her father burnt into her soul still brighted painfully behind her eyelids everytime she closed her eyes, sometimes even through the light of the day when they were still open. _Conceal. Don't feel. Don't let it show._ It was easier to pretend the lie she told was the truth she ought to live when the sun still shone, but it was when the darkness crept that the mantra would awaken those insecurities again. She was concealed… Conceal further… She didn't feel… She was a liar… She never let it show… She would eventually let it show… She could never let it…

"Who knew the Hanyou could fly?" a dark chuckle awoke Kagome from her trance, and her eyes - that had been white as snow - immediately receded to the deep ocean blueness that took the surroundings in a storm. When did the sunset turn into cold dark night? The stars shone brightly, the moon above her head. She had lost hours…

"Keh… This… Was nothing. Is this all you've got?" a disgruntled second voice interjected, sounding both fearing and fearless. Kagome's forced the stallion to a stop, considering for a minute what to do, when a third, fourth and fifth voices joined the chorus of laughs, and she knew she had to act. Whoever was being attacked, was clearly overpowered - and something about those laughs sent a shiver down her spine. Kagome trusted her instincts above anything, always. It as a part of who she was… Or what she was. Either way, she had long learned to trust what's felt, and in that moment, she felt rage boiling up her veins, pure need to rush and aid the hanyou she knew was being victimized.

With a very unladylike kick to the side of the horse, she took to where the voices came from. It was merely a few horse strides away, and soon the woman - bow in hands, back straight, chin high up in the air as the royalty she was - joined in the disorder taking place in the small clearing.


	5. Chapter 4

Hello, people! :) Thanks for all the reviews! I know some people will not be happy with this chapter, but I couldn't fit the trolls as they are in the movie in this fic, and I did want to give them a creepier, evil side in this story. It's their only apparition, though, so if you feel too offended by this change, don't worry, it's just a little fun for this chapter. ;) Keep reading in the next one!

**Please follow and review!**

This chapter is slightly darker and longer than the previous (and the next one, I hope).

* * *

**Chapter 4**

'Things could've turned out worse' Inuyasha repeated to himself. He could be ultimately in his human form. He could, too, have the displeasure of having Sesshoumaru watch him be overpowered by the enemy youkai. He could even have failed to manage Tetsuaiga's repair in time for this little mission. It was a tough call to pick which of said possibilities bothered him the most. But reality still sucked.

Touga had sent him searching throughout the road to the borders for the Eastern hime - a fool, in his opinion, who apparently invited herself over to the West in the middle of a critical time for her own land. Well. Her problem. His job was to find the wench and take her with at least a half decent quantity of hair left to the citadel. Whatever it was, his sire had some special interest for keeping this lady chick safe as far as the castle went. It was therefore in his best interest, too, to watch over the woman so no evil befell her.

He could not have foreseen that it would befall him.

The moon was bright that night; he remembered that specific fact as he himself took a long moment to admire it, something he hardly ever did. That night, for some reason, he had regretted that fact, and wished upon the shining stars that he'd spent more time enjoying such frivolous things in life. Perhaps if he had, good memories would fill him instead of regret every time he thought of her… Of Kikyou. Maybe if he had let himself relish in the things she took joy in - such as the tiny way life flourished from the tiniest bits of the florest -, he would now have nicer recollections and she… she would've passed with less bitterness in her heart.

His romance with the priestess had been as forbidden in its obscenity from the eyes of both species as predetermined to failure from both their personalities. He, while a proverbial ogre, was truly capable of giving love, while never receiving it. She, the eatherial beauty, was gentle and good, with a kindness to measure the kami. But she was unable to love one above everyone else. And although she was fond of the hanyou, she could not see past his youkai heritage, nor feel for him any more than she would for a wounded animal. A wounded animal possessed by an evil force who had to be exorcised. And exorcise it she tried, as long as her fragile life allowed her, until death became her, by which point she was bitter, angry at what Inuyasha was, at what he couldn't give her, at what she couldn't give him, at the time lost, at the youth she couldn't recover… At death, for taking everything away.

He crossed a small clearing in the oak florest in mid-run through as his senses caught a vague presence around. Not enough to be a major threat, but enough to bug him and get him to a halt. Whiffing the air for a trace of any off-place smell, his head fell to the side when a scent of decay reached his nostrils. Inuyasha twisted his nose, trying to get rid of the offending nose while scrubbing his robe in his face.

"Hug what's up with the stink? Someone hid a dead body here or what?"

"What do we have heeeeere" a long, old-sounding voice, appearing to be only half-awake echoed through the trees, its locutor nowhere to be found. The imperium behind the voice shook Inuyasha's bones, arousing his instincts. His body curved slightly ahead, his hands closed in fists ready to punch whoever crossed his way - always the impulsive being.

"You seem to have found a puppy, brother" a second voice, jocose, arose from the greenery, keeping the hanyou on edge. This was supposed to be an inhabited part of the West, and stray youkais should know better than to mess with one clearly marked as a member of the royal family, since Tetsuaiga rolled with Youki from his sire. Still, here there were at least two youkai - for he could sense their youki overpowering his now that their presence was known - crossing his path when they knew he was coming. This was what set him off; he, contrary to them, did not hide his aura or scent. They probably could foresee his arrival from miles away. If they desired so, they could have prevented this encounter - they did not.

"Quit the bullshit and show yourselves, cowards!" Inuyasha exploded, as usual, not one for small talk or tactical planning. Lightly bending his knees, he unsheathed Tetsuaiga in one swift swing, landing it over his right shoulder with a smug smile on his lips, sure of his victory, whoever he had to fight against. He had his father heritage, Tetsuaiga, after all. 100 youkais could not compare to its might, so what could a few do to its wielder?

"Yeeeesss… It's quite a toy you've got there, boy." A third, deeper voice that seemed to root deep within Inuyasha's neural system whispered, as if knowing what he thought - perhaps it did -, and the sound of his voice was bit by bit overpowered by the rustling of leaves. Soon the sound had grown so loud that it was unbearable for Inuyasha's sensitive hearing, and the hanyou had to retreat a step or two. He rose his head above dirt flying all over to see four huge oak trees that thus far had seemed to blend in perfectly fine with the background - more oak trees - then covering all his surround with youki. They were enormous, each to one side of Inuyasha, multiple times his height and his weight. To say intimidating would be an understatement.

The hard, grey bark of the ancient looking oak trees had deep grooves and ridges that suddenly began to glow softly. It was a warm light, comforting, that could lead oneself to the false conclusion that the tree youkais were more deity than demon, more warmth than coldness. The light enveloped the plants for a whole second before dispersing in thin air. Then, In the trunk of the trees, one after another in perfect synchrony, four pair of eyes opened, revealing knowledgeable looks of mirth through barely colored irises.

"Hah! You four are old as fuck! I bet I'll just have to blow it and you'll become ashes!" Inuyasha taunted, instigated by their old fragile appearances. And to think he'd been worried... For a whole second. He would take care of these assholes, deal with this princess thing and get going with his own business.

"DO not provoke that which you cannot comprehend, hanyou. Give us the sword, and you may leave unharmed." the oldest sounding one proposed, though he already knew the child would not accept it. Offering the deal was part of working Inuyasha up.

"The sword? You mean Tetsuaiga? You fucking nuts? You've been sitting there counting worms for too long, Keh. Not gonna give ya a thing! "

"Imagined you would say so... " the tree further on the left whispered - though Inuyasha could barely tell, for the sound seemed to come from all around them, and not from a specific place, like a mouth - and ever so slowly his haunting eyes started bulging. Looking for the other ones, Inuyasha could see the same was happening to them - their eyes were becoming impossibly huge, their globes almost jumping out of orbit. He immediately knew he would not like the consequences of whatever was happening and decided in favor of stopping it. He straightened up his body, raising Tetsuaiga diagonally as he ran the few steps between him and the trees. A couple of meters halfway them, though, there was a powerful undetected barrier. As his body hit it with the full impact of the attack he intended to deploy on the demonic trees, the hanyou was repelled violently back, flying high into the air and into another oak tree - a regular one - where he got stuck in a branch.

"Who knew the Hanyou could fly?" the tree in the middle laughed off Inuyasha's frustrated face as he recomposed himself. He could already tell the hanyou would be fun, and dear kami knew they needed a distraction after thousands of years of boredom.

Finally, their eyes reached their limit and light began shining from their irises in an aerie - and whatnot creepy - way, somewhat matching tears if they were shed by the sun itself.

The first change to take place was the branches of the tree from which Inuyasha had yet to leave, that languidly crept up his body like sentient vines that crushed him into stillness. Meanwhile, from the youkai trees themselves weird buds grew from a few branches, of the size of human heads that looked more like tumoral masses. And as such they dropped to the fluffy grass with loud tuds, one by one in a symphony of horrors, cries and laughs echoing from seamless orifices. Inuyasha shrieked in disgust when, in harmony, the dozen spherical creatures rolled in the ground, the grass attaching to its bodies and being absorbed into its skin as a twisted type of fur. They reeked of death, decay, and so the inu recognized the smelt he first came upon.

Tetsuaiga still in hand, Inuyasha tried to make a move, maybe slice his way out of his captivity and slaughter the damn freaking trees and its bizarre crations. But, just as tentacles, the branches tightened the hold on his body, and the more he fought against it, the harder its grip seemed to become.

One by one, the pseudofurry muddy balls unrolled themselves wish pop sounds, revealing greasy plump creatures that closely resembled putrefied globins with small patches of grass for hair over their round heads.

Inuyasha half opened his mouth, ready to badmouth the funny looking things, when he was caught off guard by their next freak move: as one, they piled on top of each other as a totem inclined to the left, looking as if it would crumble at the smallest disturbances. At that, Inuyasha's smug expression returned even through his immobility.

"Keh… This… Was nothing. Is this all you've got?" Inuyasha rapidly provoked across the pain he felt as the vine-like appendices smashed his torso, soundly cracking a few ribs. He was still crept out by the bulged eyes carved in wood behind the odd looking creatures. The ancient tree youkais laughed on in a manner behold only by one too far gone.

They were far away from gone. They were attached to nature and its sanity, bound to its wisdom in a way the hanyou could never comprehend. They could see the threads of life that pulled his movements, and the raw power emanating from his sword. Even though they were made to fit as a match, the latter surpassed the first in a way that the tree sages could not seat and watch by the waste. Power had to be employed. Even if nature had to be bent to allow it. And bend it they would. They knew from the moment the tale of Tetsuaiga was conceived that they would come to possess it. It was a matter of time until the sands of time brought the child who carried it to their grounds.

And there he was, watching their trolls with a mixture of reservation, courage, stupidity and ignorance. All of which merged into skepticism when, right before him, the goblin-looking trolls - that were still towered up - began to melt, unbelievably giving place to a slimy sort of substance that resembled leachate. Inuyasha's sense of smell went in an overdrive; to the point where he felt he might pass out just from the scent of rottenness. His grip on Tetsuaiga weakened by the second, as the substance reminiscent of the creatures that once seemed to be alive began moving on its own accord, flowing upwards in a fountain of leachate that began cementing from the top to the bottom in the form of a six-armed, faceless, three-legged manish creature.

One step in Inuyasha's direction, and the grass beneath his makeshift feet sizzled as if pure acid had touched it. The hanyou tried to swing his sword once again, in vain.

"What the freak is this thing? This is disgusting! Eek!"

"This is nature, puppy. Life has to end, and when it does… It has to be reborn. It is just as beautiful now as it was in it's first life, you only have to learn to see it for what it is… Nature."

"There's nothing natural about this fuck! Fuck it!" as the thing approached him, he began to feel desperation sinking in. A path of dead greenery was left were the creature stepped, and Inuyasha didn't doubt his hands could do much worse. Flexing his claws, he tried working his way out by hand, fueled by the proximity of the… it. But he seemed to be sealed within the tree trunk.

A sickly phlegmy hand reached for his face, and preparing to bite the awful disgusting creature, Inuyasha missed the light that enveloped it from behind, hitting it on the back of what would've been his head and forcing his short-spawned attention toward something else.

Slowly, leisurely, the thing turned, growling as some of his goo evaporated and part of the smell turned into pure air, allowing Inuyasha to think clearly for half a second. The moment's surprise also gave him the window to cut the branch that kept his arm immobile, and he was free, at last, to use Tetsuaiga at will. A small smile graced his features at that, for he knew - and the trees too, a second later - that it was a matter of moments until he was absolutely free.

As he sliced his way out of the confinement, even against the streams of wood that got in his way, he caught the first sound of the thing that had given him another chance at life: a heartbeat. A heartbeat so loud and fast that it could only belong to a human having a heart attack, for youkai would never struggle that much with their bodily functions. He had no time to spare to look for its source, though, as his feet barely touched solid ground before the four ancient trees left a piercing scream of anger, their absolutely freaking eyes bleeding red as all the trees around them began to shake.

"You should've stayed quiet, little hanyou. And you, nym…" the middle tree was cut short for a female cry, and Inuyasha finally caught a glimpse of cerulean eyes and a mane of raven hair swaying with the wind originated from the movements of the trees around them, that then started to swing their branches violently, trying to hit anything and anyone on their way. The whole forest was alive, a deadly forest. And there was a woman

"I demand you let us go, now, youkai, and return to your slumber!"

"This is not your territory to demand, priiiiiiiincess." his voice was scornful, he, though recognizing her from the crest she carried in her armor and bow, saw right through the title. He, as his brothers, could see right through her soul - oh, it was shining with power, unbridged power, untamed. She was no princess, she was too much more to be bound to a mortal title, even if she had been born a mortal. And she understood the waking threat of his tone; she understood they knew.

Inuyasha was not privy to her inner turmoil. He had barely seen her, was busy jumping around trying to avoid the piercing limbs that surrounded him. They were too many, the ancient trees to powerful, and his speed only so good, though. It took them four minutes, five, stretching it. But when they came… They came in bunches. Branches perforated his chest and his back at the same time, and for a second, his whole world froze.

He looked down, and saw the blood oozing from the gaping holes left from the retreating limbs. So much blood, pouring and pouring endlessly in a stream of life. So this was how it ended. This was what dying felt like... He looked up, and saw the beautiful face of an angel, with the darkest curls framing a faint, snowy complexion. Her eyes moistened, she cried for him, her beautiful features twisted in desperation, trying to reach out to save him. To save him. Behind her, he saw the eyes of the devil, all four pairs of them, hovering behind the angel, ready to rip her wings. He wanted to scream, but he was frozen in time. And for that one second before all faded into nothingness, he thought he saw the eyes of the angel fade in from the bluest ocean to the palest white.]

* * *

**Please follow, favorite and review!**


	6. Chapter 5

This was originally one chapter with the first t one, but it was just getting way too long for what I'd like to try and maintain uploading (1k, 1,2k) and I had to break it in two. I'll post the next on in a few hours, I'm just finishing somethings. :)

In the next chapter I introduce the miko side of Kagome (actually, there was already a glimpse of it in last chapter, when she hit the "it" thing with a reiki arrow, though it was not said so), so it is important to stress that she is, indeed, human. The source of her powers, or what a nymph is in this universe to begin with will be explained later on (waaaay later on), but for now it's enough to know she is just as human as any other priestess, and is not Kikyou's reincarnation. And yes, I chose to purposefully skip what happened between Inuyasha's passing out and recovering conscience. How Kagome won the battle - IF SHE WON IT - it's up to your imagination. There will be little hints of what happened in the chapter (and maybe others to come), for those who are attentive enough to see it ;) Kisses, cya!

* * *

**Chapter 5**

The blackness around his was rocking, somehow, into a lullness that beckoned him back to sleep. There was movement beneath his body, even though he was not moving a single sore muscle. Inuyasha wanted to worry, to fully wake up and investigate what was happening, but the sluggishness was inviting him back to slumber, and fighting sleep alone took most of his energy, leaving almost none to inspect his current situation.

While the weather was surprisingly cold for an easy breezy summer day, the hanyou felt his face bathed in weak sun rays, so he could surmise it was day - that and the bright redness he saw behind his eyelids. The steady moves of whatever was carrying him ensued in the very particular noises of horseshoes hitting gravel, so he could also deduct to being carried by a horse, or a mule, donkey of a type. When trying to move, he found that he was bound from the hip down to the animal in a most uncomfortable position - and undignified, if he must say.

His chest burnt painfully, and he was about to open his eyes to inspect it when the horse stopped, and voices were made heard. Realizing that remaining how he'd been posed was better to convene informations for now, he tried to relax his muscles and pretend he was still passed out.

"Miss! Miss, oh, dear kami! What happened! Were you attacked!? Come, we must take you to the healers, get you into something clean…" a young, excited voice rang in the air, and if he paid enough attention, Inuyasha could now make out the sounds of an agitated village a few meter sahead. Gnarling his mouth slightly, he let the smells sink in… It was a human village. While in the rest of the country humans and youkai was starting to find a way to sort things out, things were still edgy even in the most progressive of areas. In the West, more specifically, the hatred ran deep between the two races, which made his father's ruling specifically difficult.

"No, I'm fine, I'm fine… We need to take my friend inside, though… He was deeply injured." a low pitched female voice, barely above a whisper, but that Inuyasha could hear perfectly fine, retorted. Her breathing was labored, and he wondered what had happened to bring it to such state. And who was she talking about…

"Yes, but of course, just bring him in… Where is…"

"He is unconscious, tied up in my horse. I had to, he had lost so much blood, I didn't know if we'd made as far as a… a village." the hanyou heard their steps approaching, and he just got the picture: he was the alleged friend. No. He was no weakling, no human who needed to be tended to, who the fuck did this woman think she or he were? Anger fueled, Inuyasha tensed his claws and cut the ropes that held him safely in place - his heart strained a little when it offered no resistance, comprehension dawning on him that its purpose had been solely his protection.

Without the rope's endurance, his body felt to the fluffy ground, not managing to recover his balance in time and giving the two woman who had been approaching him a good scare, and his chance to open his eyes to the world for the first time in who knew how long.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. It burnt. Maybe it was not such a good idea. His first reaction was to close his eyes again, but he fought it and endured the burning of light - that seemed now brighter than it ever was - until it dimed enough in his perception for his pupils to open up a bit. As he refound his sight, the two women reclaimed their calmness. Well, one of them.

At the sight of Inuyasha, the smaller human, the one with commoner clothing and blonde hair braid on top of her shoulder, reached out for the older one's forearm, grabbing it with the force of a fieldworker.

"Ouch, what are you doing?!" Kagome exclaimed, trying to wiggle out of the girl's grasp.

"He is a demon! We must go back to the village! The men will take him down, he's weak anyway!"

"What? What is this nonsense? No one is taking anyone down!" Kagome pulled her arm forcefully from the girl's fortified fingers - it seem hatred would give you extra strength, for who knew such a tiny teenager could actually hold her so vigorously. It showed how rooted their prejudices were.

"He's not human! Don't you see his hair, and his ears? He's a demon!"

"A half-demon, child. An even greater abomination." an older voice proclaimed from a few steps ahead, and all heads turned toward it to see an old priestess in traditional miko garments clenching a bow to her chest. Her eyes traveled from the hanyou in question to the two women who were dangerously close to him - she would've already shot him, had them not been so close.

"Oi wenchs! Why are you talking like I'm not even here?! I don't give a damn about this filthy village! I didn't ask to go in…"

"Would you please remain quiet? You don't know anything, you can barely walk, we need their healer or at least supplies so I can fix you up!" Kagome interrupted him, and leaned even closer to the hanyou, whilst the other girl - knowing that the priestess would want a clear shot - was slowly backing away, keeping clear of the conversation.

"I'm not weak, I'll heal just fine, human! You should worry about yourself, you reek of death, you're probably half dead already!" Inuyasha spat, and regretted half a second later when the woman's expression took a turn to worrisome as she directed her gaze toward herself, staring at her callused hands that now displayed several lacerations, and then at her dirtied armor, blushing deeply. She felt disgusted with herself, he was probably right about how she was seen. But she had no time to dwell on that, she might look like death and smell like it - after her fight with the disgusting thing earlier - but he was the one actually in danger, in her point of view. So no matter what he said, she knew he needed help. Breathing deeply, Kagome led one hand to her left hip, flashing him a soft, calm smile.

"Then I guess I'll have to wait to finish dying after I make sure you are patched up and ok to go, doggy. Now be a nice boy and help me convince this people that you are not gonna do anything wrong when we are inside."

"DOGGY? Girl do you- " Inuyasha's outburst was cut short when something sharp and long passed flying over Kagome's ear, slicing a piece of cartilage in the way. The arrow was only marginally detoured by hitting the girl's ear, and kept its trajectory to Inuyasha's shoulder, where it found its target full-mark but had not the strenght to perforate it. The hanyou caught the projectile which was only superficially embedded in his robe and turned his anger driven face to the old priest.

"You must be really bored with ya life if ya want to die so badly, old hag! But you will have to put more work into it if ya wanna take me down"

"D...demon spawn! Leave the village now! And take your demon lover with you!"

"What? Demon lover? Are you insane? You live in a youkai ruling land and you so freely spread hate toward their race? You should feel ashamed of yourself for being such an ill-intended miko!" Kagome shouted, taken by anger herself. How could that woman treat someone in need that way, when she and her people could so easily help him? Worse… How could she try and kill him, when he had done nothing wrong, even risking killing her in the way… Just out of spite? What did this people had in their heart that made them so vicious?

The more she thought of it, the worse she felt. Her heart ached because she knew that maybe, just maybe… She could help change it all, if only her offer to the Western lord was accepted. Maybe a treaty with an all-human land could pacify the humans in this land, too, to the point where they could, eventually, understand that there was no difference between a good youkai and a good human, as an evil human and an evil youkai.


	7. Chapter 6

**Next chapter, small Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha confrontation. Then, Kagome's arrival to the citadel. Sorry the pace is coming off slow.**

_Please Review!_

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Hope renewed, Kagome rushed to Inuyasha's side - he seemed distressed, clenching the arrow previously dismissed against him in his fist until it broke into tiny pieces that danced menacingly around him - resting both her hands on his shoulders and fixing their sights, letting his eyes take in hers for a long while as they just breathed the heavy situation away. She knew the effect her daunting orbs had over people, and had known it since childhood; she had a generous quantity of reiki, not enough to become a full fledged miko, but enough to reach into people's souls, to rest the restless, to placate the afraid and… every so often, to take down an enemy or two. As Inuyasha sank deeper into her eyes, though, he felt the primary effect of her reiki; he felt warmth spreading through his mind, he felt trust built in the corner or his reason spread across his outer understandings.

A handful of armed men had gathered in the gates of the village, where the blithe group had been standing all this time. The hime let Inuyasha go suddenly to her back on him and face the infuriated crowd, who seemed just ready to hang her from bringing a demon companion to their midst.

"Leave and let us deal with this abomination, woman. We mean no human ill, no matter how misguided they are." one of them proffered with barely disguised disgust, and Kagome rolled her eyes, not bothering to hide HER disgust if theirs was so freely declared.

"The only abomination here is your blinded hatred. He has done you no harm, and neither have I. I demand that you provide us supplies, I no longer desire to step into your village if said place is tainted with so much hostility!" at that, Kagome stepped forward, throwing her hair - that till then had been flowing in waves on her chest - to her back, displaying the battered bronze badge of her family. "Or do you so blatantly mean to deny the wishes of a cardinal Lady?"

She knew she had won, then, when their eyes dilated in fear, exasperation and defeat. Eastern or not, she was a Lady, so above them in many ways. If word got out that they mistreated a lady, or dared to think themselves superior to her demands, they would be punished, no doubts, if not by the village leaders, by their superiors, or their, and theirs. Specially considering their relationship with the lord of these lands, who was a demon, a monster… They dared not risk displease him.

The commotion was dispersed with the old priestess command to return each to their occupations, remaining in the outskirts of the village sole the hanyou, the princess and the priestess, while all of them waited for the young woman who first came upon the travelers to return with the list of desired items Kagome had sent her shopping with.

Now that the adrenaline of confrontation had worn off, Inuyasha was feeling the weight of his injuries, the wounds that had barely started healing thanks to his demonic blood pulsating under the hot weather and dirt clothes. He fumbled through the fire rat robe until his fingers reached the main gap made by the branches back in the fight scene. Thinking of which, now that his senses had returned to him, he still had no idea what had happened whatsoever. He had a small recollection of seeing this woman there before passing out, but that was about it, and this unnerved him. She had just announced herself as Lady of the East, so why would she help him in anyway that wasn't absolutely unnecessary? Thinking back their interactions so far, he hadn't let out the fact that he was the younger offspring of the man she was traveling to meet. For any reason, still, he trusted the princess who was yet to introduce herself. How such thing came to be was a mystery, especially to someone as himself, who never trusted anyone besides his faithful sword; but he was not one to turn down instinct - little did he know by then that more than instinct played into his willingness to rely on the girl.

With an exasperated puff, he sat on the floor, turning off the sound of the two women who were now talking about something regarding the security details of the village. Why the hime would even concern herself with such matters was beyond him, but what one wasted one's time with was always one's problem, ne?

Inuyasha used those precious moments to tune his youki back in with Tetsuaiga. The blade had been agitated from his wake, and howbeit he could not hear what actual words she'd like to share, he could still embrace its spirit and let its emotions - if so called - fill his body. The sword was conceived with magic using his father's youki and, later on, fixed with his own. It was as sentient as a lower-youkai would be, and he'd learned not so long ago that it was not only aware of everything that occured around it, buy it would responsively rationalize about it.. The longer he meditated, clearer became to him the messages the sword wanted to convey: it was angry at him for so easily being overpowered - and for that he should become stronger; it was anxious to hear the story of what passed - and so was he; and it was thrilled. This particular sentiment reverberated on the blade, sending ripples of energy through its usually flat youki coverage. He couldn't pin point what he was thrilled for; nothing had happened to incited such emotion; not that he remembered. The sword did have a way of telling things he himself had noway of knowing - a foretelling ability, if you may. But he didn't think it was the case. What could it possibly see coming from this situation that would arouse excitement if any good reactions at all?

"Onigiri" he heard from the back of his mind, but really gave no importance to whatever was being said. Twenty heartbeats later, he felt the air shifting to his left, and not in the best of moods from beings pinterrupted while meditating with his sword, he opened his eyes, coming face to face with the bright, curious, doe-like ones of the woman from before. She was bent foward, and had been inspecting his contemplative expression for ten seconds when he finally gave her the grace of looking back. When he did, Kagome joined both her hands in front of her face - between herself and Inuyasha - and smiled largely.

"Great! He's alive! I thought I might have to drag your dead body around. Iugh. That would've been unpleasant. I don't think I could've dig a grave faster than you would have decomposed. See, not so good with laboral endeavours myself." he was expecting a lady to start talking at any time, but she was just vomiting and vomiting words. Was this really a princess? Taken aback, Inuyasha rose his left eyebrow and rose to the challenge, slapping her hands away from his face, though they had not touched him.

"Not gonna die that easily, wench. Nice trick you did back there, but no way you are a Lady. What did you do, steal that shiny thing? It ain't even shining any more, it's filthy and old, just like yourself!"

Kagome was slightly shocked by the bluntness of his offences, but at the same time… it did not feel offensive at all. So when she opened her mouth to respond, laughter came out instead. Light laughter became hysterical and for a moment Inuyasha doubted his senses when he decided he could trust this woman - who knew if she was one of those crazy human chicks whose tales were told in the castle and who married men only to murder them while they slept?

"Forgive me…" she began when realizing her laughter had gone out of control, covering her mouth in an attempt to discipline it, but with little luck. "It's just that… Have you looked at yourself? Honestly you probably have not seen a bath for weeks, if ever, and there is enough wood in your hair to light up a fireplace! Your skin is slimy and I am sure most of this grossness is previous to the attack of the… thingy. So forgive me for thinking I am indeed the queen of our little kingdom. BEHOLD, crummy plebeian!" still mid-laugh, Kagome dodged a mud ball Inuyasha sent her way, but did not miss the little spark of laughter on the corner of his mouth.

"Really… You should stop aggravating me and sit back. The girl brought us supplies, so I can see to your injuries now. There's also onigiri enough to last us days. I think I really scared them off, poor people. Well… it serves them right for treating anyone disrespectfully."

INuyasha looked around to find that, indeed, they were alone. The old priestess had left and a pile of packages laid on the ground besides them. He looked back to see that not only had this girl not moved away, she was moving closer, with a towel in hand and a bottle of alcohol in another.

"What do ya think you doin', wench? You're not touching me. I can heal just fine, I don't need your help."

"You might not want it, but I'll do it anyway. I can't see anyone hurt and not intercede. Just… Let me do this the easy way, please." she drifted off with a minor threat that didn't go by Inuyasha.

"As if you could force me, human. Why do you care, anyway? You know what I am." he voiced the question that had been bugging him throughout their whole conversation. She knew, by the way he said it, that he meant more than that moment. Her gaze softened and she opened the alcohol bottle, lightly laughing at Inuyasha's reaction to the strong smell of the cleani;g product when they both smelt so strongly of cemetery. After soaking the towel with the liquid, she proceeded to gently scrub it over her arms once she had freed them of the correlative armor pieces, basking in the clean smell replacing the dirt.

"We really need to find some springs, you see. This won't do, I need to bathe. And… I care because… Well… Does it really matter what you are, when you need aid? When we need help we are all the same, there's no difference between a dying human and a dying youkai, except for their blood. Both might have lived good or bad lives, and there is no way I can tell until I help them and they are safe to show me their true colors."

"Bah. You will get yourself killed thinking like that."

"It might be… But thinking like them, or like yourself… I would've got a lot of people killed. Including yourself." her sentence had a touch of finality to it that bothered Inuyasha. She sounded like this was her life, constantly fighting and putting herself in danger for others, but he could not match what he thought a hime's life would be to what he felt hers would.

"You think too much of yourself. I would've been just fine wench! I just had a minor setback."

"Stop calling me wench. My name is Kagome, you know? As a matter of fact… You might not have know! Kami! I guess I have not properly introduced myself, have I? Hmmm, hm. Kagome, first daughter of the East." she had just finished clearing her left arm of all the filth, but made a point of standing up and bow, giving him the first full view of her without any annoyances, attacks or reiki influencing his mind. Her eyes were so deep that nurtured an admiration that bordered discomfort; the corner of her mouth faired a small dimple traditional of those who smiled a lot; her skin, though covered by the dirt that told the tale of their encounter, still glowed white from beneath it; she was tall for a woman, but smaller than him, and her body as a whole was hidden still by the hideous looking armor. He thought she might be tiny underneath it, if with it on she was still not as bulgy as him. Someone so breakable… So stupid.

"Ya stupid, that's what you should be called! I still don't know if I believe you are a Lady, I mean, aren't ladies supposed to have a scepter stuck up their butts or something like that?"

"No need to antagonize my compeer lady friends, shall we? It is true that most of us are indeed a little bit self centered, but you would find hard not to if you lived the life most of them do. We are a consequence of our choices, but frequently our choices are not only ours to make. Sometimes they are laid out in front of us and our privilege is only to choose from the most agreeable one." he was not sensible enough to recognize the spite in her voice as she explained in the shape of others what she had too found in her life. Being born a hime was never a choice for her as coming forth a hanyou wasn't for him. As unreasonable a comparison as it would seem to the untrained listener, those who had tasted the freedom of the field or the city would become mad at the slightest touch of a royal responsibility. Putting bad thoughts aside, though, she sat back, returning to the job of cleaning her hands and arms so she could work on him.

"Seems like you are going far to justify the life of the rich and privileged." Inuyasha grumbled between pursed lips, considering for a tick if he couldn't also be perceived as rich and privileged. Unlike Sesshoumaru, the servants of the Western flying citadel did not reverence his very faeces as if he were the walking depiction of a god; most of the folks, be them youkai or human, nurtured rooted hatred based on strong cultural bias that almost none were willing to abandon. Hanyou were nuisances to both races, blots never to fit in. Acceptance seemed a wonderful thing, from the glimpse which Inuyasha got of it from the rim of the illuminated life to him never belonging. So there was no taste of the privileged life; the riches were there all through his childhood, though. His own matter of protest, of making the world see him for the strenght of spirit he swore to possess, had been to never accept it, however. So he grew up like any other commoner living on the castle. After a while most people outside the court even came to forget the Lord of the West had born an illegitimate son. His whole existence was erased from memory and honor as he just lived by the simple rule of survival.

Relating the life he knew to that he'd painted her out for having suddenly left him feeling silly. How many would have accused him of complaining with a full belly when he, too, would tell them that his life had been less than perfect? The least he could provide her with was the benefit of the doubt.

Muscles relaxed, mind made up to listen more open-mindedly to the girl, prejudices and knowledge aside, Inuyasha felt a bud switch within him, but what it turned on or off was whoever's guess.


	8. Ignore this and skip to the next chapter

I screwed up, forget this is here. Move on to the next chapter, dear reader! Or, if you can, take this time to follow, favorite and, my favorite, reviiiew! 


	9. Chapter 7

**( This is a repost. I added more content to the end, so that the next chapter begins with Inu&Kag instead of Sesh. Whatever descriptions I give of the clearing is from sesshoumaru's perception. If I were to give exact descriptions of the scene, I would give away too much. So let it be the way he sees it, and hope that he is attentive. Hi hi. )**

Again, I had to break the actual chapter into two, because it was too long for my taste. So-oh-orry! Another chapter, though! :) And a lot of Sesh now. I let on why he hates so much humanity in this story (while usually he's just completely unaware of their useless existence, lol). It does mess a lot with the canon, but as this whole story does, I decided to throw caution out the window and do as I felt fit.

Enjoy!

F&R =3

* * *

**Chapter 7**

The flight had done him a number, as usual, and an hour after fleeing the castle in dubious terms with his sire, Seshoumaru was calmer and wiser. He saw how his reaction might come to jeopardize his interests in the near future - luckily he dared think no damage had been done to the long term business his mind was set on. Time would come for his father to understand his choices, time for him to prove them all the superior ways of the youkai and the forever decreasing worth of humans. If he had his way - and he always did - eventually the one thing human held against them would no longer be theirs to uphold. Their ever promulgated superior numbers would turn to nought before his eyes as their own stupidity brought them to knees. As if breeding was really a skill, and their widespread numerousness had been product of endeavor and consideration. They were animals, and as such could not control their instincts and only for that - and a bitter twist of nature - had found themselves with an immense army... of complete idiots.

But every fruitful soil is bound to wither; if not by nature itself, call him a force of nature. The taiyoukai had - by means of extensive study throughout lands unknown to most of the creatures in this country, far beyond the seas and accessible only by the darkest merchants or the richest nobles - found the ancient recipe of a draught, long forgotten by human for its unspeakable effects over what they believed - in those lands over the oceans - to be the designations of God. This combination of herbs so far from a commoner's reach included flowers and weeds from even further away, so he'd spent winter upon winter getting them shipped from wherever they could be found. It would slowly render the human barren; it was not to happen to all of them, nor it would happen at once. It would come with time, with the decades, with the new generation. But if there was one time youkai had to spare that human did not, it was time.

Centuries before, he wouldn't have spared a single breath of thought to humans - be to their aid or destruction. Things were different, then, knowing what he knew, what he dared not believe once and came to accept with decades of patience and rage merged into stoic observance.

One hundred years had gone as lightning. For him, it all blended in as a series of unfortunate challenges for the West, the death of his mother, and a lot of… nothing else. If he were to be honest, sometimes he would catch himself acting on a certain task he'd perfected without ever actually consider doing it. His brain would push him subconsciously forward even when his soul had so long switched off for the lack of purpose, or perhaps… for one single purpose. Time passed, as time passes. VIllages rose, crusaders passed by, inventions surged everywhere as a new era was built by humans. And when he arose from his slumber, he found spread across the lands the proof to what had been ten decades before been spread in paper for him. For a century he'd constrained himself to an observer, eluding windows to make a move on destiny, for he, himself, desired to know how destiny would proceed were he not to intercede. If things were truly come to pass as foresought in the incongruous texts.

Everything the weird compendium of scrolls revealed of what was once his short future, regarding humans and their evolution, proved to be hauntingly accurate. A sage sought when the object had come to his possession told him it was called a book, common amongst philosophers of beyond the seas. In that spark of information the fire that became Sesshoumaru's research later on started.a whole conflagration. The following century was nothing but dull like the previous had been. The taiyoukai grew as a scholar, surpassing any mind the West could present, and as a tactician. He had been one of the strongest youkai alive before, but in those years, he became the Killing Perfection. For perfection came with knowledge, not with force. Knowledge that the book gave him above anything else.

"X-XX Japan History for the Inquisitive Mind" was now locked up somewhere only he could access. No one should know what he knew, no one should know such thing came to be. If it was work of witccraft or if the item had swirled out of time to find him and guide him through the mistakes of the past, he didn't know. All he knew was that humans of the XX century believed youkai to be silly fairytales; how low could they fall if the humans were to completely wipe their existence of their minds? As the book had again and again proved its authenticity, Sesshoumaru dropped the denial and began ploting as soon as he could.

He would take down the humans before they could take them. Filthy, mendacious humanity. The details of how they managed to destroy youkai in the future that would come to pass was a mistery to Sesshoumaru, and would remain so - forever. Let them plot in hell.

As his light orb guided him mindlessly via the waking skies, flying over the territory further away from the citadel in an impromptu patrol, Sesshoumaru let his mind wonder, something he so seldom did, and consider the implications and flaws ingrained on his plan.

He was no fool to think beyond his range; those who aimed too high wasted efforts building up a taller fall. He knew there was no way to extinguish all human race from the face of the earth - or beyond, if their plague ever infected planets above, as predicted in the history book - from his stand alone. While the plan was flawless, it could only be taken as far as the Islands, maybe not further than the West in this first phase. Which led to an implication that could prove troublesome if not watched closely: if were the Western humans the first to fall ill and perish with no offspring to perpetuate their fragility, all eyes would inevitably turn to his lands and, eventually, to himself - the most notorious perpetuator of the old ways. No, he could no risk exposure while the other Lords had so blatantly allied themselves with the vermins. In a setting where he'd be considered a tool for the collapse of mankind, the other youkai could go both ways: if their culture by then was so tainted as to lead them to chose humans over him, he'd hardly find a way to conquer them all at once; if, howerver, when push come to shove all youkai throughout the nation showed their instincts had not been so thoroughly misguided, and they still knew the path to the old ways, they could make it that much easier for Sesshoumaru to expand the plan all across Japan.

No. The more cautious the plan, the most likely it was to render a definite outcome. He would temper wells and fountains with the draught over in the South. He found that choosing the all-human East could render a more conducive investigation, so the South should do fine for a square one mark.

Gliding over the estate inattentively was beneath the powerful heir, therefore he stored for the moment all the planing to be resumed at his quarters, inclining his head toward the ground to observe the field become shore. Apparently he had drifted across great part of the territory, a fault he'd remediate on his way back.

Midway back, Sesshoumaru felt something he rarely ever did, rendering the cases in which he did worth of a measure of his concern. The beast, so long dormant within it's golden cages was incessantly being stirred up by an exterior stimulus, of which nature he was yet to figure out. The inuyoukai could sense no discernable scent in smelling distance - nor could hear but the stirring of the forest beneath coming alive with the dawn of a new day. Resigned to sight - the last preferable of his senses, though mighty they all were - the youkai surveyed the high skies in one brief snap before descending a few meter to better see into the forest. Rare dark oak trees composed it, making it hard to see anything beyond the closet line of tall, dense trees. Floating above their tops, he soared lightly - with the grace a feather being carried away by the summer breeze - until his curious eyes found a clearing he knew was supposed to be small, but that then ostented double the radius.

His feet found a thick layer of mud when his orb dissolved into said clearing. Annoyed by the unavoidable dirting of his pristine shoes and hakamas, the ever expressionless prince let a 'hmpf' of distaste permeate the air. Rain in the sunmer was a gift as rare as a laugh from the Western prince, and just as surely as he had not fondly smiled in the last century, no rain had graced those lands for weeks. The ground should be thirsty at the very least.

Suspicious, but passable, had not been for the utter destruction surrounding the plain mud. Where once had been the trees that outlined the real clearing he once knew, now laid tree stumps, logs, slightly burnt branches, sank in five inches of water that seemed to circulate the place and create a makeshift river out of debris and water. Tracing it from the inside there were remains of stinking rock-like you youkai he recognized as trolls, in a circular pattern much as if a fieldworker had purposefully laid them so. The trees that originated them - ancient trees to inhabit the West - were nowhere no be found. As they could not move, and sesshoumaru couldn't sense their youki when spreading his - to what matter, he could sense a familiar one nearby - he could only surmise they had been exterminated. Nhm. This begged further investigation, for those were sages whose assistance he might have used later on.

The beast urged on, aggravating his counterpart. It's youki inflated from his chest in a suppressing way and he knew that his beast was trying to burst out and lock himself in the jet black darkness. If only his self control was slightly weaker. It was now, however, and Sesshoumaru had had enough of this nagging sensation while trying to gather more information about the fight witnessed by the clearing, pushing at last the beast back to the bottom of its cage, from where it should take a while for it to submerge.

Time enough. And never time enough.


	10. Chapter 8

(More content was added to the end of last chapter, if you had read it when if was first posted. Check it out just in case, ok? ;))

Ok. So this is it. This chapter ende up bigger than I wanted, as usual, but I chose to let it the way it is. I know I promised InuSess confrontation by last chapter, but things spiraled out of my control as I began writing what I once had as general ideas. **This chapter, for instance, was completely unplanned, and I'm still half surprised myself with what happened because, to be honest, I didn't plan on doing anything like this for a while.** But I guess the fingers want what the fingers want, so I stripped myself of my previous plans and decided to just roll along with this chapter. This is what came out.

Please review. Opinions are fuel, be them good or bad, they help us grow as writers. :)

Ps: The itallic might seem crazily out of place, but it's meant to be there.

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Kagome bit her lower lip nervously while averting her eyes from the hanyou's undressing figure. It was silly, really, considering she had volunteered to clean him - and the whole consequences of said assistance just dawned on her - and patch him up. But as drastic as the situation may be, he was still a male, and though in theory she had studied the human body and its maladies, in practice she'd never seen a man bare chest before, not even her father.

_'Come on, Kagome. You have fought a war. You are covered in the yucky blood of trolls. You are a strong, independent, Lad- KAMI'_ she had been slowly turning around and caught a glimpse of his lowered hakama. She shrieked like a dying cat, full out covered her eyes and blurted out.

"For kami! What are you doing! Keep your pants on, you... You... I don't even know your name! Oh for kami!" suddenly she became very uncomfortable. Hiperventilating was an understatement. Kagome's heart was beating so fast it started to sound like music along with her raced breathing. She barely knew this man, whose strength was probably unparalleled to her, whose name she didn't even know, and who was dropping his pants! Was he one of those opportunists that took the virtues of young ladies of whom her governers had told in whispered tales throughout her teenage years? The trust she instinctually felt at first sight shuddered and gave way to an engraved fear, that little had to do with Inuyasha - it ran deep beneath her skin - but that was discharged on him as an outlet nonetheless. It's the way of fear. It does not always make sense.

Inuyasha's enhanced hearing kept up with the progression of symptoms as panic struck Kagome. He was a simpleton, however; had always been and would always be. Whatever was happening to the girl was out of his comprehension. At first, he thought she might have choked on an onigiri, but having canceled that out, tried approaching the human to investigate what had stricken her. To Kagome's fear induced sight, he looked like a predator, head slightly bowed, lips curved in a lewd smile. In reality, his face was distorted with utmost apprehension and a little bit of anger. What the hell was wrong with the girl? She might have a heart attack at any point and that would be no good for him! Not to mention he didn't actually want her to die… The girl did save him after all… Twice.

"What is wrong with you? Look, I can't fix humans, so you better get a hold of yourself! I have to take you back to father in one piece!"

"You're here do kidnap me?!"

Kagome threw herself on her knees and crawled away from Inuyasha as if he had evoked the devil himself, putting as much distance between her and the hanyou as she could until she had enough balance to stand up with the assistance of a nearby tree. Trembling, her fingers, now free of the armor's handpiece, emitted a frosting sparkle when she pulled the hand away from the trunk as if burnt; but it was the tree that began freezing; so di the ground she'd crawled in, resulting in a path of crystal clear ice leading to the frozen trunk of the dying old oak.

Inuyasha was stupefied. Kagome was more terrified by the moment. Not only did she have an attacker on stalk, her power, her long locked away powers were spinning out of control. The fear grew larger in her chest to a point where her own chestpiece began to freeze, a materialization of the exasperation of the powers that no longer fit within her, that had to leave. Random puffs of snow escaped from her opened mouth, and when she tried to close it to keep it in, she inflated to the point of feeling as if she were to blow up at any point. _She had to do it._

And _who bette_r to do it to th_en_ the person_ who was_ atta_cking_ her?

_He deserves it,_ the fear whispered in her ear._ He earned it._

It would be so easy to wel_co_me this_ bu_ilding, ragi_ng_ power, to welco_me_ this chan_ge to_ a new _waking worl_d, to welcom_e th_e hurt and t_he destruc_tion it would bring as a bystander of_ a universe of pap_er. **_Just once_**, and the ice would be h_er_ coffin an_d_ companion. But the regret would remain… Who would remember her for the good things she'd done when all that's left is ice and cold winter?

"Conceal… Don't feal…" she whispered, and as expected, missiles of spiral ice escaped her mouth toward the floor as she paced, the light that previously shone so brightly at the tip of her fingers receding ever so slowly to the palm of her hands, fearful that it might never get a chance out again. Following it, the cold mist and snow retreated, shutting down through her skin, leaving her ice cold, alone, fearful,with a storm raging silently inside. "Don't let it show."

Inuyasha was speechless. He had just witnessed what he was absolutely sure was a human show paranormal behaviour. At least that's what he would call it, for certainly nothing youkai could do stuff like that. He was beckoned nearer, though not by curiosity, nor by thirst of power, or anything of the sort. The hanyou knew a lot about fear, that was it. He'd lived the life of an outcast - a real outcast, an orphan hanyou - for years until Touga found him strong enough to take him in. He understood that look, that panic. Provided he was never taken over in the same fashion, but he could not help but feel… Sympathetic. It was a new feeling, for he, who was never shown sympathy to, never knew too, how to show it. This girl, however, inspired something good, something sprightly and - though a little mean - free spirited, friendly. He wanted to explore this. Whatever she was so afraid of - it was not him. He would show it, she would see reason, and it would be fine. She would be fine, he reminded himself, not knowing precisely why it mattered.

Kagome reclined against the frozen tree, backsliding across the already melting trunk to drop on the ground, blindly staring ahead onto the nothingness she hoped to embrace. Her eyes were moistened, she couldn't see a thing and didn't bother try. She had failed. Now the mist was gone, the hime could see, if not clearly, slightly better: she had been a fool to lash out on the hanyou. Yes, she didn't know him, but he had been nothing but friendly - brutally friendly, but still - while he could, indeed, have left hours ago when he had woken up already half-healed thanks to his youkai heritage. He had an earnest stubbornness that was revigorating, and Kagome, in full control of her faculties, knew she had made an awful mistake that had probably cost her the only friend she would make at this forbidden land, where she expected everyone to receive her with hostility and prejudice.

Closing the eyes to contain the stream of tears that threatened to pour down, feeling silly for weakening out in the face of the unknown, Kagome reopened them to find Inuyasha - fully clothed once more - kneeled opposite to her. His eyes were serious, but were not hard as his brother's were, when serious too. THey held a tenderness that Kagome hadn't seen since her father, a tenderness that invited out her secrets, that tempted her to trust. It was a look that could not be staged, only given, and even then it was not by choice, but circumstance. The giver in the case also had no idea that the stare he was giving was the same he was receiving. Wordlessly, a friendship was being formed. It was not a promise of undying devotion, nor a promise of love, or anything equally unreasonable. It was simply.. a promise of understanding. Of trying to understand. Something that the world lacked, and that each, in one single look sent back and forth, promised each other.

And once the moment was done, the eye contact broken, their breathing - which had been suspended for a moment too long - returned and they both mimicked each other as they coughed and tried to diverge the attention. What had just happened had been too intense, and the moment after was.. well… awkward. They were, after all, still strangers. Nothing had changed, and at the same time, something had.

"Nhm…Kagome, ne? My name is Inuyasha… and what I Meant, WENCH…" Inuyasha stressed the word, but Kagome knew he just wanted to lighten the mood after the incident she caused and the moment afterwards. Which… She would eventually have to explain. He would demand explanation, wouldn't he? Why hadn't he already? Was he so oblivious to think that all human women were able to sputter snow and freeze vegetals? "Is that my father is the Western Lord. He sent me to escort you to the citadel."

Kagome nodded in understanding. Of course it all made perfect sense in the end; it did not improve the pitiful reaction she displayed originally while underneath fear's persuasion. She had a long way of making up to the Hanyou, starting then.

A distant youki nagged Inuyasha's balance center, and he brushed it off. Even from a distance he could pinpoint wherever his stoic prick of a half brother was. And the last he wanted was to dwell on his whereabouts. Inuyasha rose before her, reaching out for her hands in assistance to get her back and straight once more. She looked off center for a couple of seconds, during which blindly stared at her bare hands, but soon her regular contented expression kicked in as she corrected her posture as squared her shoulders. For the first time, Inuyasha saw her as Lady material, beneath all the dirt.

"I had not idea Lord Touga had another son. Forgive me, milord." she bowed at head level and Inuyasha wasn't quite sure if she was serious of messing with him. She had been hours ago calling him filthy commoner, she could not possibly think him any deserving of a title of a sudden.

"Yeah, the illegitimate hanyou tends to stay out of conversation. Keh."

Kagome laughed gently, rolling her eyes. "There is no half recognition. If he took you in, you are a Lord, however lousy one you may be."

"Look who's talking, troll queen. Talking of which... You still have to tsll me what happened after I estratégicas turned unconscious. "

"You mean to say when those trees knocked you out and I - little miss not so much of a lady - saved your buns?"

"That's your version of it, woman. I remember it differently." Inuyasha grumbled, slightly blushed. The whole concept of freidnship was alien, and he was not used to having his ass saved by anyone, let alone a woman.

"You don't remember at all." she tried to laugh the subject off, but his face urged her on. She sighed, nervously wrapping her fingers on each other. "Wold you trust me if I told you it is better left alone? The truth might be sometime you are eager to break, but I'm not ready to go back there. Or rather.. To go so far away forward.

"It has to do with what just happened? With this... Sorcery?" Inuyasha knew these were dangerous grounds topic wise, but he had to push it farther still. He couldn't walk around with a ticking bomb and not even know what made it tick! Fuck, it was hard for her, he understood, he wasn't an emotionless pineapple! hell yeah, but he didn't want to have his butt frozen anytime soon too!

"Don't use that word!" Kagome whispered and shied away from his body, turning hers toward the rising sun to have a moment, if only a moment, of enlightenment in the bathing light of the Burning star. This warmth, so unlike the cold she was bound to carry forever, was to her forbidden then if she were to lose the battle against these storming powers. If she did not conceal it for good, this heat would be lost to her, if not to all her people. "It's a curse. Please leave it at that. I have never hurt anyone, don't worry. I'll controll it, you won't see it again. But please drop it. And don't.." she resumed their staring contest, tears sliding from the corner of her eyes f or just realizing all she had come there to fight for might be on the line "Please, don't tell your Lord."

"Kagome... "

Suddenly he cut short the steps between them and hovered over her like a hawk, closing his eyes to spread his senses. Kagome would have been scared had it been any other setting, but his instance was protective other than offensive, so, for once, she allowed herself to relax and wait for the coming explanation.

"There is someone nearby I have to deal with. Stay here."

"What? No! You are injured! I'm not letting you run into another fight. This is nonsensical."

"Stop whining you're giving me a headache! I'm not going to fight stupid girl. Did I say that? It's just... A nuisance"

"Is this nuisance dangerous?"

"Not to me"

"I demand to go!" crossed arms, Kagome ran towards her slumbering horse. With a few pats on his back to wake him up, she mounted, but Inuyasha pulled the reins to stop the stallion from getting worked up.

"You are not coming, girl!" Inuyasha was annoyed and frustrated. Sesshounaru was getting closer and he feared what he might do to the hime if they were to collide.

"Good luck trying to stop me big boy!" she dared, and the Hanyou both conceded to the chase for honor and instinct sake, and for the fact that he knew she wouldn't be able to keep up with his pace as he lept from tree to tree in a blot of red and white, guiding their run toward a river for utility sake.

As presumed, Kagome was delayed by the dense forest, the dark oak trees that had attacked and then covered her were now giving unfair advantage to the jumping hanyou as they gave him abundant propelling surface while keeping the horse from a straight path.

Inuyasha had qualms on going very far, as the girl had lost his track way back by the stream line. Hoping she'd stay there and busy herself with the soaking she'd so desperately claimed to need, he moved on to confront his half brother half way.


	11. Chapter 9

Yay, sorry it took me this long to update. Personal problems all the way.

Ps: Sesshoumaru is a bit off character because in this story he has grown alongside Inuyasha in the citadel, not apart as in the original story, so he sees him as a pest and shame, but his brother still. The only thing truly between them all along had been Inuyasha's human heritage, but pack instinct is a strong thing, and not even that can truly erase a family bond.

* * *

**Chapter 9**

Once Sesshoumaru expanded his senses, it became clear his suspicions were justified, for not only did his half brother linger by the village beyond the oak forest, but his aura was accompanied by an excessively annoying source of reiki, that overflowed the area in a soft pink hue only seen in one's mind eye.

The lingering annoyance that was proving to be his beast's incessant bickering was an unpredicted issue. In long past occasions when he deemed necessary - as he had, earlier that day - to completely lock the beast away, its return had always been gradual and steady, leading up to weeks of internal solitude that he both appreciated and resented. No inuyoukai could truly be pleased facing the detachment of his own base self - it was a measure of desperation, in most cases, more so than choice. Once reunited, both beast and man would remain imbalanced for moons, something that could lead a youkai of lesser strength to some, say, character disorder. Instead of slowly rising back to claim his fairly quiet spot amongst his thoughts, the taiyoukai's beast was throwing a fit not unlike those of a thwarted puppy, only so much more... Primal. And dangerous. It unsettled Sesshoumaru, making him consider for a spark if letting the beast free would not be a safer course of action.

Prepotency driven, he strengthened the hold on his primal self and set out to meet his troublesome hanyou brother, heading East, where a human village was districted. He had no qualms on burning the village down, but decided on holding back his pace to give the Hanyou time to reach him instead. He would avoid humans for the time being, knowing his restraint was less than perfect and a massacre on his account would hinder whatever progress he might have made thus far.

He took a few miles in stride before completely stopping; it should be close enough to arouse the hanyou's curiosity, if nothing else. Knowing the dimwit, he would arrive in monsoon with his usual foul-mouthed remarks and eagerness to buy in a fight he could absolutely never win. It was entertaining, honestly, beating the youngster to a pulp, and if anything, the taiyoukai was in shortage of amusement.

Scoring some points for anticipating the exact reaction displayed by the hanyou once he stormed out of the tree coverage, Sesshoumaru neither moved a muscle nor showed any intention whatsoever in initiating the interaction with his half-brother, which he could see - with barely conceived satisfaction - was going long ways into annoying the pup.

Inuyasha, of course, had rushed to his encounter anticipating a less than amiable interplay and had been bursting energy, ready miles before for a fight that now he came to doubt. Seeing his brother collected and stoic as ever, ignoring his presence even though he had been the one to summon him with his increasingly suffocating youki, sent the fulminating hanyou into a rising rage. Now that they were front to front, it was difficult for Inuyasha to remain impassive. This youkai, this poor excuse of a brother or of a leader, in his opinion, simply unnerved him with his bare presence. Half because of pure sibling rivarly. but also because Sesshoumaru's had been ingrained so deep within Inuyasha's heart that now, every time they met, whether there was a real reason to or not, the hanyou couldn't help but feel… angry.

He kept his fighting instance, knees slightly bent to secure his balance if Sesshoumaru suddenly attacked him - which he didn't put past his brother, even if in reality the taiyoukai was an honorable warrior and, at that same moment, was just entertaining himself to the view of the steaming boy, not at all considering to engage him in any real combat.

"What do you want, asshole?" Inuyasha finally spoke, his words dripping with raw despise.

"Collect yourself, hanyou, this Sesshoumaru has better things to do than to, once again, show you to your place " poised and confident, the heir presented a contrast faced with the fuming unpredictable hanyou whose buttons he admitted to have been pushing since childhood. Neither were to blame, really, for deeply, beneath the surface of calmness or impulsiveness, both were fueled by jealousy of what they perceived as undeserved by the other. It ran deep, Inuyasha's insecurity or Sesshoumaru's resent, but not one could see past the exterior to truly understand that antagonism was built on weak bases that could very easily be brought down.

"Bring it on, prick, if you think you can beat me you better think twi-"

"Hold your tongue for a spell, Inuyasha. If this Sesshoumaru were to strike you, doubtedly your teeth would survive and for now, I need you speaking. Of course, if you do require my assistance in setting your jaw back to a more agreeable position, I would be tempted to comply." his insult had been subtle enough that Inuyasha thought of his words as literally as they had been said. What the taiyoukai had truly said, though, was lost in the thick skull of the hanyou, and Sesshoumaru was both disappointed and pleased.

"Just say whatever you have to say and get the hell out of my face." some nervousness shone through the apparent anger, and Sesshoumaru immediately knew his half-brother was hiding something. HIs mind was quick to associate it with the pink aura he had seen around him before, and a smirk broke through his fine lips.

"Why don't we take this conversation to a more appropriate setting? This Sesshoumaru meant to visit the nearby village, at any rate, to assess some fiscal control." the words barely left him, Inuyasha's stance grew rigid, the small amount of youki he possessed flaring against Sesshoumaru's skin.

"No, whatever we have to talk, we will talk here." he tried to stand his ground, but in reality he knew Sesshoumaru would do what fared better to his side of the deal. All Inuyasha could think of doing was to fight him off, but in a realistic take, he would most likely end up unconscious for the time being and the ice prince would move on towards the village anyway.

"Hn. Meddling with priestesses again, young brother? I thought the last one had been enough for you to understand how undesirable you are to any female, even weak human ones. But this Sesshoumaru cannot find fault in your stubbornness. It is, after all, the only thing that might keep from complete chastity."

Inuyasha rarely ever heard Sesshoumaru talk more than a few words at a time, but they were usually of the scorn, as such. It made his blood boil, how the taiyoukai would so easily drop his silent facade for the sake of aggravating him.

"Wash your mouth before you talk about Kikyou. What do you know, the only action you get is probably that icicle being shoved up your ass by jaken!"

Inuyasha knew he'd gone too far. Messing with a demon sexual prowess was a dense thing to do, since all were so absolutely keen on displaying virility at all times, and questioning it was like a stab to one's honor. If Sesshouamru was anything, he was obsessed with his honor.

With a snarl, the taiyoukai suddenly was upon the hanyou, his body oppressing his with its sheer strength as his hands circled around Inuyasha's neck. In response, the latter grabbed the former's arm, trying to push him off of himself as green began to drop from the youkai's claws. Venom seeped into Inuyasha's skin ever so slowly - even in fury, his brother was only playing him.

"This sesshoumaru has left your foul mouth wonder too much already. Silent, half breed." the finally in his tone left no room for discussion. I buy a shame growled lowly but dropped the offences.

"Just say what you want already, Sesshoumaru."

"This Sesshoumaru is coming from a clearing not far behind us, little brother. And I'm curious, indeed, to hear about your involvement on the scene I came upon."

Inuyasha immediately knew whatever Kagome had done should be kept between them, when they had that conversation if he managed to keep her alive, away from his brother.

"I killed some suckers. That's all."

"You mean to tell me, Inuyasha, that you, a hanyou, took down four of the West's wisest youkai?" his tone was doubtful, he would not have believe Inuyasha even if he did tell that who eventually overpowered the tree youkais had been a human.

"What's your problem, bastard? Yeah, I killed the assholes. They were after me, wanted Tetsuaiga or whatever. Why does it matter, the fuckers are gone, I will talk with father and he will understand it, so back off."

"This Sesshoumaru does not care for the life of youkai so easily dispatched by a half breed, pup, but it would be most interesting to hear about how such feat was achieved. And why you reek of human, more so than usual." Sesshoumaru sniffed lightly, taking note of how a sweet scent permeated Inuyasha's skin. He supposed it to be belong to the priestess who had not only been with the hanyou on the outskirts of the village, but had also taken part at the battlefield. He was no fool, he could feel reiki pouring from the trees left behind, as nature seemed to so ungracefully absorb surrounding pure energy, and knew the girl whose aroma he identified all around his brother had disposed of a large quantity of power in the clearing. The absurd idea that she might have been the one to exterminate the youkai crossed his mind for a slip of a second, but he put it aside as he did to all other illogical thoughts.

"There is nothing to tell, the wind scar blew them up to thin air. And you were right, I am accompanying a miko, that is all there is." maybe a half-truth would placate his older brother better than a complete lie, so he let him on the fact that Kagome was, indeed, a part of the equation.

"Keep your paws and your miko" at that, his chest constricted for a second, calling forth preoccupation. He soon recovered and cleared his throat as if he had only been looking for a word the whole time silence had overtaken him "outside this Sesshoumaru's sight. I feel not like humoring you any further."

"Rest assured I don't intend to cross our paths, prick." and just as that, Sesshoumaru was gone, lifted in the air by his youki cloud, just because he could. Inuyasha snorted and saw to his departure before daring to turn his back and run towards the river where he last saw his charge.


	12. Chapter 10

New chapter, yay. :) Next chapter they arrive at the citadel, and I hope the pace of the story increases a little bit. :) This is just some more developing of their relationship.

* * *

**Chapter 10**

For approximately five minutes Kagome devoted strength and concentration to try and reach Inuyasha's whereabouts, but she had been so exhausted that she could barely make out two distant youki sources, no real chance at pinpointing their exact location unless she roamed in search for a while and, to be honest, she didn't feel like it.

Inuyasha seemed fairly convinced that he could deal with this nuisance, and despite their previous battle ending up short from the hanyou's side, she trusted him to be strong and self sufficient. Wasn't that why she was seeking these youkai allies to begin with? So she reconciled herself to staying behind, galloping back to the river bank.

There, she treated her sore muscles and dirtied skin to a nice, although short, bath. After the long days of travel with little to no luxury, the water washing away the problems and sorrows was a relief. It reminded her of the times she would take Tsuki away from the castle, against every advice, to soak in a hot spring she secretly claimed as hers when she, too, had been a child. For a moment she allowed herself to miss her siblings, but knew that she could not let this feeling linger for their sake. Sorrow filled her to the bones for long minutes until she willed it away, locking the hurt and longing in a box buried beneath her greater intent.

After washing the armor and dressing in a simple shortened kimono - for movement sake - the miko set to wait. Now that she knew Inuyasha was encharged of bringing her to Lord Touga, she had nothing else to do. She might venture alone, but it would be time lost rather than saved - she knew the hanyou would guide her faster and safely to the Western court.

She felt his presence closing in right before she smelt the stench coming off of him. For kami, had she been that disgusting just then? Covering her nose in an attempt to escape the harassing smell, the human cowered against a boulder, shrieking in horror and throwing the soap bar she had just used at him.

"You. BATHE. NOW! "

"What the hell wench? Is that how you receive me? I don't need to bathe, I'm fine." it was a lie. His smell sense was heightened as a hanyou and, of course, the odor bothered him greatly, specially with the sweet, clean scent the girl exhaled now that she'd been thoroughly cleansed coming towards him in waves of fresh air.

"This is not up for discussion. If you are to accompany me, there is no way I can stand that smell. Wash, now, or I will be forced to take drastic measures" she let the words float, not really putting form to the threat, which made it only that much more threatening to the poor dirty hanyou.

"Fine, woman. But there's no way I'm using any of that crap" he kicked the soap before disrobing. Kagome blushed and cried, turning around to face the forest, still very much bothered.

"It is called soap, and it's specially fabricated by the Easterns monks, you should try it, it is much more hygienic." she whispered, hoarsely trying to shake away the embarrassment of having a male bathing a few steps away.

Inuyasha did not prolong the soaking as Kagome would have if she could. He was swift and she doubted he had really cleaned any of his… important stuff, but let it slide anyway. As it was, he smelled much better and she could probably spray some perfume on him while he slept, if his bathing proved to have been indeed too superficial.

"You cannot put your clothes back. They are disgustingly filthy, you will probably get an infection on your wounds if you put them on as they are. There is a haori that should be loose enough to fit you for a while on my bag, attached to the horse. Please dress it while I clean both our garments." she dared not look back, knowing the half youkai would be naked, and hoped against hope that he would humor her request with no resistance for once since they had met.

"Ha, a princess adventuring in domestic art." he sarcastically announced, raising his chin in coarse superiority.

"Himes are not useless, you see. What needs to be done, I'll do it. And since I am convinced you will not do it properly even if I were to force you to, it is for my own benefit that I choose to do it. And, of course, you are still hurt. I haven't forgotten that your injuries need attendance and I wouldn't want them to worsen. Just lay back on a rock for a minute while I do this. Leave your clothing by the river bank, if you will."

"As if you could force me, fe." Inuyasha grumbled under his breath, but complied, taking the haori and covering his body before letting her know the clothes were where she demanded. Demand. What a demanding bitch she was, he thought, but a smile crept up his lips.

"Thank you, Inuyasha." Kagome gently answered, taking him aback. People - be it human or youkai - hardly took the time to be polite to him in the most basic manners. As a pup, her gentleness and civility made him earn to please her. This was an unknown feeling, wanting to ingratiate someone so soberly, and it angered him. He barely knew this girl, and here he was acting like a lost puppy, agreeing to her demands and actually appreciating the warmth coming from her gratitude. He had to rectify that.

"Whatever, wench. Just don't ruin it, this is a very important robe, a useless human like you could never replace it." his words were harsh, but really, he knew no better than reacting as he did, growing up in hostile settings where one wouldn't reach out a friendly hand were it not for personal interests.

Kagome, on the other hand, had been raised to love and understanding - and until very recently, when her own people began to turn against her, she truly had not known the taste of rejection. It was bitterer by the second, and she dropped the smile, letting silence become them.

Inuyasha's chest constricted when he turned to see her, kneeled on the dump grass, with dejected shoulders and a gloom aura, washing the fabrics in utter silence. He had screwed up again, and guilt was not a feeling he was familiar with, too.

"Keh, so… Why are you traveling alone to the West? It's risque, even if you can handle yourself. I can't imagine whatever father and you have to discuss that is worth that much trouble…" he tried to bait her, curiosity driven.

"My lands are worth all the trouble. And it was not safe to come accompanied, so I had to rely on myself."

"You would be safer with some type of escort, really."

"The western dangers are nothing compared to what is going on back home. I couldn't risk being caught, and the bigger the entourage, the easier to target."

"Ha, ya saying that some you are more frightened of humans than youkai? Wench you must have hit your head real hard…"

"Stop calling me that! I've already told you my name is Kagome, Ka-go-me! You own me the proper respect, or should I address you as feeble hanyou?"

"It wouldn't be any different for me. Your loss, wench." Inuyasha snorted, but deeply he had no desire to be called as such by her. There was this underlying respect she showed him that he wished had always been bestowed upon him; but, of course, he couldn't let her know that.

"Yes, it would." her hands shook uncontrollably as every ounce of restraint slipped through her lips. "Look… I know you probably had a rough life; so have I. My family is endangered, everything I love is to be taken away from me and the only thing that might help is the one creature we were led to think of as enemy! It takes a lot of strength and willpower to see you for what you truly are, flawed and foul-mouthed, but deeper than a full-out monstrosity! So please take a moment to appreciate the respect I show you and treat me as I do you!" Kagome had turned, brows furrowed in annoyance, and tightly squeezed his red robe between her hands.

His attention solely on her, wide eyed and stunned by her bluntness, Inuyasha had little to say. She was, of course, right. Her preconceptions of him must be strong - she, like all human, must have been taught about the evilness of youkai and hanyou alike - but stronger was her desire to overcome it and give the three races equal chance at goodness or evil. His look softened, and her nerves calmed a bit, as they just stared at each other.

"I am truly sorry, I should have not lost my temper, no matter how much you aggravated me" she began to apologize, but he dismissed it and grunted. "I am done, but it might be a while before this comes to dry. Meanwhile, let me take a look at your injuries. Now that we are both clean, it should be easier to take care of whatever is left of them."

Her tenderness was inviting, and Inuyasha obeyed on top of his head, dragging his apologetic ass toward the fragile human, who tended to his injuries like she would to her own brother back at home. He could've told her it was completely unnecessary - they would be gone by morn - but the proximity of another being, free of malice or prejudice, was what he needed the most to heal.


	13. Chapter 11

Forgive any mistakes. I'm without a computer at the moment, so this was full written and edited on my phone.

* * *

Chapter 11

Once Kagome tended to inuyasha's injuries - and discovered a brand new one on his neck, which led to a fiery discussion about what had transpired while he was gone - the travelers fell into a comfortable camaraderie. Despite her initial outbursts, Kagome enjoyed the silence and could, he soon learned, be a very collected woman. She rode the stallion, refusing to leave him behind to be carried by the half demon - even because just thinking of the position he suggested, her riding his back, spread a blush across her chest and cheeks - and if their pace was slower, Inuyasha found he labored no desire to speed it up and lose the quiet yet friendly companionship of the human woman.

Eventually they would engage in conversation, in which moments she would share the passion behind her mission, the love for her siblings who she was responsible for since the passing of their parents, and the loyalty towards her subjects, and he, in exchange, would tell about the citadel and the life he'd lived that far - the death of his mother and the years of fatherless wandering. The tone of his speech was resentful and Kagome saw behind the facade to the lost man, whose place in the world was never guaranteed and whose sole ambition had been to prove himself for a society that could truly never accept him nor recognize his worth.

Neither touched the elephant in the room - the power swimming beneath the surface of her being - but the matter stood suspended in the air, at moments making the atmosphere so thick the woman was nearly driven to open up and slice it with words of truth, an explanation of a sort. She didn't, however, and things remained unclear.

Two morns rose and set between traveling, resting and camping, and finally their destination appeared in the horizon. The magnitude of the citadel had not crossed Kagome 's mind thus far, and she was overwhelmed by its grandeur. Huge stone walls circled the structures hidden on the tallest mountain she had ever seen. Though the inside was still a mystery, she easily felt lost before the exterior size; she was so small compared to it, like an ant about to join in a birds nest.

Inuyasha was unmoved, and if anything, her obsolete admiration annoyed him. These were just walls, what was the big deal? He couldn't grasp the idea behind the admiration; he couldn't comprehend that the woman felt so weak and tiny because she was, in fact, weak and tiny compared to what was promised ahead. Behind those stones laid hope and fear.

As they approached the heavily guarded iron gates, the mask slipped back into Kagome's face. She had indulged herself in some carefreeness while journeying from the East, but she was aware of the stakes and would not show weakness before these youkai. She knew women were already in face disadvantage by the workings of society itself, she needed not seem like a futile one. Once upon a time she would shower the world in her emotions, but the war had ingrained differently into her brain: emotions were for family and friends, allies and enemies should know only one expression, and the more stoic the better.

Inuyasha glanced at her from his side vision, surprised at the change overtaking the human. Her expression - a mix of seriousness and boredom - reminded him greatly of Sesshoumaru. She truly looked like a lady of rank just then, even if heavily armored, and it made him seem out of place with his ill washed appearance and sloppy attitude. He was uncomfortable with how much alike the inuyoukai females of the western court she looked, the same ones whose snobbery left him in solitude until he met Kikyou and lost interest in them altogether.

"I apologize for this." he had no time to examine the meaning behind those words, for as soon as they were spoken, her reiki flared as a beacon of power around her feminine body, forcing his whole person a couple of meters away.

"What the hell, woman?" she did not answer, focusing her attention on the guards up ahead, who too sensed the rising purification power and were instantly on edge. She did not mean to harm Inuyasha' s body nor honor, but she had to exert some measure of dominance over the other common youkai to assure her own safety and respect. He was just caught in the process. Her chin held high, she approached the gates, slowing down her steps in front of them until Inuyasha joined her again.

The guards were conflicted. Their first reaction to seeing a human arriving with the illegitimate heir was to trade mocking knowing smiles. As her power expanded, though, their attention shifted from the fact that the hanyou was bringing a pet to the castle to the actual human closing in. Her stature was that of privileged status, her posture demanding recognition that might not have been given otherwise. Her clothes beneath the strong yet delicate armor were of rich fabrics, and against her humanity, they were caught ogling he petite female. As youkai - inus more so than others - power called to them; allied with beauty and rank, it constructed a female worthy of contemplation.

Squared shoulders and stretched spine, Kagome let them drink on her appearance for a while longer before speaking, raising her hand slightly to keep Inuyasha from announcing her. It was important that she made her own introductions, being a ruler, so she would not be taken as a simple minded, weak female.

"Lady Kagome of the East, I come under notice seeking an audience with Lord Touga. I request entrance, Inuyasha shall guide me through your citadel. " her tone left no room for discussion, especially with the fact that inuyasha didn't contradict her, backing her up. He just remained out of characterly silent, still bothered by the vibe coming off of her.

The guards had known a human was expected - and, besides Sesshoumaru's distaste, it was ever more common for humans to attend a business or other under the inuyoukais grace. While still seen as inferior both in wisdom and strength, the ningens had gradually risen to the point of being tolerable trading partners - so access was granted to the miko without further inquiry. The tingling of her reiki against their skins remained for a long while after she disappeared with the Hanyou amongst the intrinsic stone corridors leading to the castle. Every few meters the stones opened up to a different layer of the citadel, and as she was led through the long extended stairs, the woman could not help but admire the architecture surrounding them. It was nothing like classical Japanese building, it seemed as if the youkai had managed to compact the biggest village she'd ever seen in progressive enclosed layers that went up as they too climbed toward the castle - which she could not see from the corridor nor the occasional openings to the city, but assumed to be located on the higher post of the mountain. The stairs went on forever, but Kagome - who had left her horse under the care of the guards outside - resumed to let the tiredness leak off her body. She would just bottle it up until she could rest securely out of sight.

The corridor of stairs grew wider as they went up, at some point splitting in two passages that went either side. She followed Inuyasha through the left one, and noticed the steps would become less and less steep until they were no longer ascending, just walking in a slightly curved fashion.

"Welcome to the western castle." Inuyasha announced with not a single trace of cordiality. He might have sounded sarcastic, but Kagome paid no attention at all. The corridor suddenly opened up to the first open space she came upon since the opening of the gates, and it so happened to be the biggest, fullest and most colorful garden she ever had to pleasure to lay eyes on. Above them the sky graced the land with an almost eerie light. Looking back to meet Inuyashas gaze, Kagome couldn't help but shrink against his body once she found that that whole garden - and the castle ahead - was floating above the mountain top, the only thing connecting the island with the encased stone city beneath being the two stairs, the one she came from and the other who would've led the pair to the absolute opposite side of the grounds. The two corridors went around the borders of the floating land and would meet in the middle of the air, going down. She couldn't believe they had been there, on those hidden stairs that had nothing but air sustaining them.

"This place... This is... "

"Yeah, yeah, it's great, it's magical, bla bla bla. Get over it."

"Why are you so grumpy? This is a breakthrough for me. Nothing we humans have ever built could hold a candle to this place. How does it float? How old is it? Will it fall if there's too much weight above it? Oh, what is the name of this flower? It's unlike any I have ever encountered. So is that one!" before Inuyasha could comment how ironic was that the woman he had just seen, so poised and stoic, had her facade ripped away for something so trivial, Kagome skipped away, reaching out to gently cup a flower bud rising from the lively green soil, on her knees.

He was torn between angry and amused. As he approached her, he decided for amusement and snorted loudly, resting a clawed hand over her shoulder. "I can't answer any of those questions, wench. I never really cared." seeing her expression deflate, he continued. "But I will find out all you asked, if it's that important. Or you could just ask my father. He is coming."

Her spine shot as a bullet and she was on her foot once again when the coming youki made itself known from across the yard. It was huge, overwhelming and all the same intriguing, rendering her speechless as the figure cloaked under the sheer power approached, revealing himself as a mid aged man, whose tender expression and spirit did not agree with the story Inuyasha had partaken. Was this man full of expression wrinkles the one who had denied his own son while he was but a baby?

Inutaisho let her gaze take his stance a bit longer before clearing his throat, a knowing smile gracing the corner of his thin lips.

"Oh, I see you have found our little guest, son. Good, I was worried she might have been lost. Welcome to the west, Lady Kagome. We have much, much to discuss. If you can bear to be parted from my garden for a moment, we shall have tea inside." flushed, but recomposed, Kagome nodded before stepping into the lion's den.


	14. Chapter 12

Took long enough, but it's here. I had to cut the original chapter in two, again, haha; it ended up way longer than I wanted. I might post the other part, now chapter 13, tomorrow. :) Thanks everyone who has been reading, and if you are enjoying, favorite and review! :)

* * *

**Chapter 12**

Kagome was bewitched by the imposing, yet soft aura seeping out of his lordship like ripples on a bottomless lake. The ambiance went by unnoticed as she was conducted through stone chamber to stone chamber. Had she paid attention, she would have realized how bright was the castle, against any expectation she had labored, and how the servants' reaction to her presence indicated a slight distress, but not at all the hatred she had foreseen. The amount of youki in the castle surpassed any she had encountered over her journeys – she had never been this close to such a mass of youkai at once – and reining her reiki proved to be a difficult task, for it longed and nipped at the surface of her body, trying to surge forward and protect its mistress from all the evil energy around. Her attention split once again between the mighty lord and a mantra whispered in her thoughts: 'They are not evil. They are just as me. They have no intention of hurting me'.

Touga was privy to her dilemma, even if not to the specific thoughts crossing her mind, and against tradition, called his youki back a tenth, hoping to give her more room to breath. Her gaze softened for a moment when his eyes found her above his shoulder, and she nodded, thankful for the consideration.

Inuyasha was as oblivious as ever to the reasons behind the woman's growing stiffness, but was not blind, and could see how her muscles tensed beneath her delicate skin, how her steps had slowed down and her aura seemed to make dancing patterns around her body before being forcefully shoved back in.

Insecure by nature, he concluded she was anxious because of his attendance in what she had intended to be a meeting between her and his father alone, and slowly, indignantly receded, letting his steps slow to the point Kagome was walking faster, following his father out of his sight.

So entranced she was, his absence was only noticed when the pair arrived in a large study, the first room so far to be made of wood – dark oak wood, she surmised -, from the floor to the ceiling. This room seemed more in tune with the architecture of the time, and she felt more comfortable standing within it.

That, of course, had been the whole purpose of that room. Touga knew the citadel and castle were of different configuration than any normal Japanese structure, and visitants from all over the island felt marginally uncomfortable discussing their matters in such an unfamiliar sight. The study was purposefully built over traditional conformations, with sliding papery doors, mats, a low table and scrolls – scrolls everywhere the eye could reach.

"Where has lord Inuyasha gone?" Kagome whispered, more to herself than to her host, but it was heard nonetheless.

"Worry not about my youngster. He is nearby. It is suitable that we may discuss our matters unaccompanied, lady Kagome. My son doesn't know as of yet the meaning of your visit. Unless, of course, you took it upon yourself to clarify it to him."

"I did not such thing. He asked, but I imagined it would be better if you were the one to tell him, or not tell him at all, if it is the case. I don't mean to intrude in your authority. "

"You did well, child. He would likely have been reacted badly. There Is no way to tell, really, I, myself, can predict very little of my youngster's actions."

"He is indeed very… Lively." She meant so much more with the simple word, and Touga knew what laid beneath it. His son was foul-mouthed, agitated, a simpleton in mind, yet his heart was eager to conquer the world and belong. She knew from the limited amount of time they shared that, had the circumstances been different, they would have become good friends.

"Thank you." She greeted the servant who, bowing, had given her cold tea. Both inuyoukais stared at her softly, wondering why would she thank someone who was doing nothing but her obligation. With a firm nod, Touga dismissed the youkai and, once he deemed her out of hearing reach, put down his own tea to talk.

"Well, Lady Kagome, I assume you are here to discuss the matters which you brought to light in your previous letter, am I correct?"

"You are, Inutaisho-sama. Things have not progressed well regarding the war; I left the East with two weeks worth of energy to feed the barrier protecting the castle and our subjects. I am afraid by the time I return, regardless of the advances here in the West, it might be too late if the barrier drops." Constricted voice, Kagome stared blindly at the tea, seeing but unseeing things that Touga could only guess.

"Tell me more about this barrier, child. Was it the work of a miko alliance? Perhaps you could send word to have it strengthened before your return." Inutaisho was indeed interested. It was unknown of humans to use barriers – be it of holy power or else – in a war; a choice of tactic common amongst the ningen race, though the reason behind it was a mystery to most youkai. He could hardly know that humans thought it dishonorable to use holy power in a war, for he, as a demon, thought of warring in a less poetic way, and would use whatever means available to overcome his adversaries.

"Not at all. We barely have a handful of mikos in the East, that including me, and we would not be able to hold a barrier that great for a single day, let alone a fortnight. The details were never passed on through the generations, but the Eastern castle was built under magic, youki and reiki infusion, and has, somehow, developed its own sentience and power. It is the castle itself that holds back the enemies."

"Oh, such an interesting concept! I must visit someday; perhaps we could simulate the same effect here, in the West. How wonderful would it be a sentient citadel". Kagome nodded submissively, though the idea did not strike her pleasantly. She was willing to ally with the youkais for the sake of her people, but partaking in millenary wisdom and power, which could eventually lead them to advantages in a war – should one break between the races in the future – was bitter. She would, nevertheless, if it meant ensuring the support of the West.

"First things first, Lord Inutaisho. Have you entertained any thought to my proposal? I am sorry if I come across too blunt or eager, but time is something I can longer dispose of, I am sure you understand." Her tone rose a notch, her posture changing from the passive stance she had adopted thus far to a straighter, much more determined standpoint. Touga admired the change, how a ruler could be labored on the shoulders of a mere child. She would have to work on holding the strength she harbored in those moments for longer, if she meant to convince the world of her worth, though. The woman was too volatile, for what he saw.

"I appreciate straightforwardness, Lady Kagome, and it does not bother me at all that you find the need to be direct with me. I prefer it this way, definitely, for it clarifies our positions and our goals. And indeed, I have considered your suggestion. And by the second it seems more tempting. However…"

"However…?" a flame of hope had taken hold of her heart, warming her body from within out, and his sudden reluctance agitated the hime. She urged him on, inclining vaguely toward him, eyes alight with apprehension and anticipation.

"However willing I may be to seal this partnership… Sesshoumaru, my son, the one whose involvement is crucial, refuses to even consider the union. I thought I might bring him to reason, but he rebuffs the mere notion of allying with ningen."

"You mean to tell me…" Kagome was stunned beyond her brain that a spoiled, discriminative prince risked her chances. The words dripped out of her mouth with contempt, her body language indicating a mixture of anger, fear and despise. "That your son declines a chance to become a Cardinal Lord, to rule his own lands – even if not entirely by himself – and to increase the inuyoukai's reach as the most powerful race to command Japan for… prejudice? For his feeble dislike of humans? Summon him, I have half a mind to tell him truly how much harder it would be for a human like me to subjugate myself to a demon! And yet, here I am, offering all I am and have to be snubbed by a spoiled, obnoxious male!" by the time she was done, Kagome was out of breath, and horrified by the words she had proffered. Usually she would hold tighter to her control, but it was easy to gaffe when confronted with such a blasphemy!

"I know this is upsetting, but hold your tongue, young lady. This is still the Western heir we are talking about. My son might hold his prejudices, and I do think him a fool for it, but it is not your place to talk ill of him." Touga's tone was harsher, his brows furrowed in a scowl. He agreed with her observations, but he couldn't absolutely let her defame the prince.

"I respect your rule and the supremacy over your lands, and that is the sole reason to refrain my judgments of your son. As far as ranks go, I am above him and in equality to you. You should do well to remember, too, that I'm not playing princess, I am the Eastern Lady." Kagome's blood was boiling. Things were heading downhill, and Inutaisho dared to patronize her, even! She had to be taken seriously, but his power, his might, everything about him demanded her submission, and she was wavering between submitting and rising to the challenge.

Touga did not expect her reaction, but could not disagree. It was the truth, after all. She was a lady of right and birth, and even through the crisis at her homelands, she had managed to soar above it all for longer than expected of her. His gaze softened as he drew a lingering breath. This would be hard; the last thing he want was to jeopardize a good alliance. He was a human admirer, had been since his first human wife – Izayoi – busted into his neat, organized life and turned it upside down, and could not help but hold deep expectations for a brighter future for both races, together. This woman sitting across him could be the key to bring to the West and East what the South and North had already a head start at: harmony.

"I apologize, Lady Kagome, it will take a while to get used to dealing with a Cardinal Lady, instead of a lord, specially one of your race. But I am willing to try, if you, too, would be willing to accept my customs with a bit more patience. "

"It is I who owe you an apology, Lord Inutaisho. You may call me Kagome, if you wish. Perhaps we started this off in the wrong terms. Now that we understand the equal ground we stand on, maybe we can move on to… understanding what else we might try, if not the initial plan."

"Touga, my dear. Touga sounds much better, doesn't it?" he tried to laugh the heavy atmosphere off, but the girl remained tensely upright, staring at him with hopeful blue eyes that he was sure to haunted with once she was gone. Breaking the eye contact, the Lord inhaled deeply, taping his indicator over the wooden table. "I have given this much thought, Kagome. I am afraid an alliance between you and my son is out of the question – don't work yourself up, let me explain. Sesshoumaru is a blind youkai – not in sight, but in mind. He clings to the old ways, and I think there is nothing either of us can do at this point to change his mind. It is something time will teach him, optimistically, but time is not something to be wasted here, is it?"

"If I may talk to him, perhaps we can…" she interrupted to be disturbed, too, by a huge hand between them.

"Sesshoumaru is gone, and I don't think he will come back so soon. My son sometimes leaves to vent his frustrations for months, there is no way to tell. Realistically speaking, my child, what you asked for is not to happen. However… I wish for us to remain in agreeable, if not friendly, terms. I am prepared to help with what I can, but I cannot send you part of my militia. You must understand the dangers of referring my youkai guards to your kingdom in the situation you are in. If you were united by marriage with the West, it would be easier to bound your people by duty to accept them, but as it is… humans can be very dangerous, too."

"What do you suggest, then? If not with your men, I don't see how you can help, Lord Inutaisho… Touga. Unmarried and without an army, I will fall prey to whatever awaits when I return home. "

"What I can offer, my dear, is refuge. You may stay in the West, and I shall send someone to retrieve your family. You will be given a property to live on, and here you might rebuild a life, although humbler, much safer."

"What? So this is your plan, for me to leave my kingdom behind and hide in a cage? This is no plan at all! I am not turning my back on those who supported me, I am not turning my back on the East, even those who betrayed me deserve a better rule than I am positive the Lord-to-be would conceive! No. There must be something else… A different path." As her frustration grew, unknowingly the temperature of her hands, rested upon the table, would drop, to a point where the wood contouring her fingers began to freeze. She immediately dropped both hands into the lap, hoping against hope that nothing had been noticed by the powerful taiyoukai. He, fortunately, had been observing her expressions closely, and although he saw in her face the brief moment of panic, the reason escaped him as the table had unfrozen by the time his eyes fell over it.

_'Calm your nerves, Kagome. Conceal it…'_ the girl let her eyes fall to a half-lid while taking sharp breaths. Inutaisho worried for a second he might be witnessing a breakdown, and that the girl was not as sane and capable as he had hoped, but as soon as her eyes reopened, he saw in them a determination laced in pride, swimming in the bright ocean.


End file.
